


Our Time

by Thewalkingwho13



Series: Time Of Our Life [1]
Category: Day6 (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Angst, Childhood Friends, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, I love DaHyo, Romance, uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2020-03-10 01:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 78,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18928141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thewalkingwho13/pseuds/Thewalkingwho13
Summary: A story of eleven friends living their lives, dealing with their own problems, but also enjoying their happiest moments. Two childhood friends become lovers, a troubled girl is helped by her friends, and one totally-not-gay girl discovers her true sexuality. Also a whole lot of mess, but that's just life.OREver since their childhood, it's been Kim Dahyun and Park Jihyo, the two best friends. But, what if one day, Dahyun were to realize that she's in love with Jihyo? She could hide her feelings for Jihyo, but like all things, it'll have to come out at one certain time.Myoui Mina has gone through troubling times, eventually falling into depression. But even then, that won't stop Kim Wonpil from trying his best to help the girl out.Chou Tzuyu and Im Nayeon are best friends. At least, that's what they are to each other. Everyone else seems to think that the two girls are in love. How ridiculous, right?And a whole lot of mess from the other people in their lives, but that's just life. A big ball of complicated messy situations.





	1. The Story Begins

**Author's Note:**

> So, this story has angst and fluff. It's.. a pretty interesting mixture of them. You'll understand as we go along. 
> 
> I've been wanting to write a DaHyo fanfic for a while because I love those two so much. 
> 
> I'm excited to embark on this journey with all of you! I hope you enjoy Our Time!

April 11th, 2018. 5:31 PM.

 

In one of the many parks of Seoul, South Korea, a girl with blonde hair was sitting on one of the swings in a swing set. This was Kim Dahyun, aged 19. She was reminiscing of her past, remembering all the fun times she had with her childhood friend.

 

“There you are, Dubu!”

 

The blonde opened her eyes and saw her childhood friend standing right in front of her. Park Jihyo, formerly named Park Jisoo, aged 21. The older girl had brown hair with purple highlights.

 

“Aww! Unnie, I was thinking about our paaaastt! You interrupted mee!” Dahyun whined. The older girl just smiled. “Really, Dubu? What were you thinking of?”

 

Jihyo sat on the swing next to the blonde girl and looked at her.

 

“Ah..” The blonde sighed. “D-Don't put me on the spot like this! N-Now I don't remember what I was thinking about...!”

 

The older girl raised an eyebrow. “Is that so..? Shall I refresh your memory?”

 

Jihyo got up from her seat and started to push Dahyun lightly. She watched as the swing slowly started moving with the girl on it.

 

“Do you remember when we used to do this after school?” Jihyo asked.

 

The blonde nodded. “All the time. I loved those times.”

 

“Me too.” The older girl said. “It felt nice to unwind, to talk to you.”

 

“Same.” The younger girl replied, looking at the sun. “It's so bright today.”

 

“It is,” Jihyo replied. “Oh! I know you haven't been asking lately, but I'll just tell you... uh... well, nothing's happening in terms of JYP.”

 

“Aww...” Dahyun pouted. “He's such an idiot. He's wasting your talent!”

 

The older girl smiled sadly. “If he doesn't feel like it's my time, then it isn't. A-And besides, Stray Kids just debuted. He has to focus on them first.”

 

“You've been waiting thirteen years.” The younger girl said. “What if he makes you wait for thirteen more?”

 

Jihyo fell silent. “I..I sure hope he doesn't.”

 

And then, Dahyun started to remember that time...

 

\------------------------------

 

**_July 8_** ** _th_ ** **_, 2015. 11:27 AM._ **

 

**_The day after the Sixteen finale, the two childhood friends were together at Park residence. They were sitting in the living room, on a long sofa, with a coffee table in front of them._ **

 

“ **_Jihyo...” Dahyun trailed off._ **

 

“ **_I've told you... I'm okay.” Jihyo responded. “R-Really, I'm fine.”_ **

 

“ **_I just can't believe this happened.” The younger girl said. “Why? How could he?”_ **

 

**_Jihyo took part in a reality survival show called “Sixteen”, hosted by JYP himself. Its purpose was to form a new female kpop group. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, Jihyo was eliminated at the finale, robbed of her biggest chance to debut._ **

 

“ **_We already talked about this, okay?” The older girl replied. “I got to sleep it off... it's fine, really.”_ **

 

“ **_It just seems really insensitive of him to completely ignore that you've been in JYP for ten years.” The younger girl stated._ **

 

**_“JYP knows what he's doing..” Jihyo replied. “If I wasn't good enough to debut into a group, then.. maybe it wasn't meant to be.”_ **

 

“ **_...How can you say that?” Dahyun questioned. “I've seen you all those ten years, you're amazing! How dare you just completely discredit yourself!?”_ **

 

“ **_N-No... I mean.. I know I'm good.” The older girl responded. “But, maybe by myself. I probably wouldn't work well in a group anyways..”_ **

 

“ **_Have you seen the total outrage on Twitter, Jihyo?” The younger girl remarked. “People are angry!”_ **

 

“ **_...So be it.” Jihyo replied. “It's been done, there's nothing I can do about it.”_ **

 

“ **_You can go to the JYP and demand he debut you.” Dahyun remarked._ **

 

“ **_No.” The older girl said. “You know I can't do that.”_ **

 

**_The younger girl fell silent, completely defeated._ **

 

**_“It's... not fair.” Dahyun said._ **

 

“ **_Dahyun, please, for me... Can you please just forget about this whole Sixteen thing?” Jihyo asked. “At least for the next couple of months. I've already gotten texts from everyone about it, so please, don't let me hear it from you, too.”_ **

 

“ **_...Sure, I can do that.” The younger girl replied with a little hesitation._ **

 

“ **_I just want to go out and do something,” Jihyo said. “Maybe call the girls over.”_ **

 

“ **_That's a good idea!” Dahyun said, completely changing her whole mood quickly. “It's been a while since all eight of us hung out!”_ **

 

\------------------------------

 

April 11th, 2018. 5:34 PM.

 

“..Dubu?”

 

“S-Sorry, did I space out?” Dahyun asked, turning around to face her childhood friend.

 

“Yeah..” Jihyo replied. “It's okay, I wasn't really talking.”

 

“Then how did you know I was spacing out?” The blonde pouted. The older girl smiled. “You had that look on your face.”

 

“Aww!” The younger girl, getting off from her seat. “THAT look?”

 

The older girl giggled. “Yes, the one where your eyes are all-”

 

“Ahhh! Don't say it!” Dahyun whined. “You're so meeeaaannn!!”

 

Jihyo laughed. “It's cute, Dubu!”

 

The blonde blushed. “A-Ah.... thanks..”

 

“I know I've said it before, but I just love your hair, Dahyun. Blonde looks really good on you.”

 

“A-And every time I say thank you,” Dahyun replied. “I really do appreciate it, even though I asked you if it was going to fine before I dyed it.”

 

“I helped you make the choice, sure, but what if I didn't like it?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Y-You thought you wouldn't like it!? Then why help me dye it?”

 

“Hey, don't stress about it, Dubu. I love your hair, and that's the truth. I was just throwing out scenarios.”

 

“Ah... besides, I'm pretty sure I would know if you didn't like it.” Dahyun replied.

 

The older girl smiled. “Yeah.”

 

“Heeyyy! I didn't think you two would be here!” A voice called out.

 

Dahyun looked over to see a girl with orange hair approached them. This was Son Chaeyoung, one of Dahyun's closest friends.

 

“Ah, Chae, it's nice to see you.” Jihyo greeted.

 

The orange-haired girl sighed. “The others were starting to wonder where you two went. It's not nice to just walk out during a get-together, you know!”

 

“Well, to be honest..” Dahyun replied. “I was feeling under the weather.”

 

“It's sunny outside, at least tell us next time before you leave for good.”

 

“I know, I know.” The blonde nodded.

 

Suddenly, Jihyo's phone rang. “Ah, it's my sister.” The girl said. “I'll be over there!”

 

Jihyo walked away, a good distance from the two girls. Dahyun sat back on the swing set and watched as Jihyo talked with her sister. Her heart skipped a beat every time Jihyo laughed or smiled one of her bright smiles.

 

“You need to tell her.” Chaeyoung said.

 

“A-Ah... Chae..” Dahyun muttered.

 

At first, Dahyun didn't want to admit it. “It's just my hormones!” was one of her many excuses. But... she eventually came to terms with it. Kim Dahyun was in love with her best friend, Park Jihyo. And she's been in love with her for years now. It's been suffocating bottling up her feelings, but the blonde couldn't do anything about them.

 

Jihyo is straight. She only likes men. Dahyun has no chance with her. And yet.... her feelings were still there.

 

“Seriously, you need to tell her.” Chaeyoung said.

 

“But... Jihyo likes men.” The blonde replied. “I already know what her response will be..”

 

Chaeyoung just fell silent.

 

“I know that you don't want me to hurt, but...” Dahyun said. “If I tell her, our friendship is over.”

 

“Why do you say that?” The orange-haired girl questioned. “Out of all of us, you know who Jihyo truly is. She would never hurt you, right? Even if she doesn't feel the same way towards you, I'm sure she won't just abandon you.”

 

The blonde sighed.

 

“You're right... Jihyo won't hurt me.” Dahyun said. “I-I'm sure things would be awkward at first, but then.. we'll be back to our normal selves.”

 

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung replied. “And if you tell her now, then you won't have to be hurting anymore.”

 

Then, a thought crossed Dahyun's mind.

 

“The thing is... I've lasted this far without telling her... W-Why should I tell her now?”

 

“Dahyun..”

 

“L-Look, I'll tell her when I'm ready. J-Just... let me go on my pace, okay?”

 

“I can live with that.”

 

Jihyo returned. “Hey, had a nice talk?”

 

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung replied. “Well, everybody has already gone their own ways, so I'm going to head home. Dahyun, want to come with me? My parents will be worried if you don't arrive back home soon.”

 

“Ah, I'll have Jihyo drop me off at home,” Dahyun replied. “I'll see you soon.”

 

The orange-haired girl nodded and walked off. Dahyun's living situation was interesting. Her mother and father had started going through the divorce process, but since they didn't want to make Dahyun's normal life painful, they had decided to allow the girl to move out. Chaeyoung's parents offered to let the girl move in with them, and here she is.

 

Jihyo went behind Dahyun and continued to lightly push her. “Dubu, I didn't know you still wanted to be on the swing.”

 

“Ah... no, I just needed to talk Chae about something important.” The blonde replied. “I sat down because it was a bit heavy.”

 

“Is it about your parents?” Jihyo frowned. The blonde shook her head. “No, just something else. Something personal with Chaeyoung.”

 

“I see,” Jihyo replied. “Anyways, Dubu... how's your chocolate milk stock?”

 

“Waahh! You had to remind me!” The blonde whined. “I'm all out!”

 

“Oh, then you know what that means! Iiiiiiitttttt's..”

 

“Chocolate milk time?”

 

“Yes! Let's go get some, so then I can drop you off!”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:53 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were at the grocery store. The blonde had immediately run over to the dairy section to get a gallon of chocolate milk.

 

“Hey, do you remember that one time when you tricked your mom into buying you chocolate milk?” Jihyo said.

 

“Oh my gosh.” The blonde giggled. “She was so mad!”

 

“I'm glad she let you off with just a warning.” The older girl said. “Even she was impressed by your trickery.”

 

“Honestly, I'm still surprised I pulled it off,” Dahyun replied, putting the gallon on the cart.

 

“The greatest trick of all time.” Jihyo smiled.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:23 PM.

 

Finally, they were parked right in front of the Son residence.

 

“Thank you, Jihyo.” Dahyun said, hugging her childhood friend.

 

“You don't have to thank me, I know you appreciate it.” The older girl said.

 

“I know.” The blonde replied. “But I still want you to know that I appreciate what you do for me.”

 

“Well, just know, that you deserve the best,” Jihyo said. “Don't forget that, okay? You deserve the best.”

 

Dahyun nodded. “Thank you, really.”

 

The blonde got off from the car. “See you tomorrow, Jihyo! Goodnight!”

 

“Goodnight, Dubu.” Jihyo smiled, driving away.

 

Dahyun entered the house and saw Chaeyoung's parents were at the dining table.

 

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Son.” Dahyun said. “Is Chaeyoung in our room?”

 

“Yes, Dahyun.” Mr. Son replied. “Sit down, eat with us. You had a long day.”

 

“Thank you.” The blonde said.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:42 PM.

 

That night, Dahyun lied in bed, and she couldn't stop thinking about Jihyo. She felt stuck. Like she had discussed earlier with Chaeyoung, she felt afraid that she'd ruin their relationship. It was stupid to think Jihyo would act so cruel, but that overwhelming fear was stopping Dahyun from confessing her feelings.

 

But... Dahyun really did want to confess. She _needed_ to confess. So many years passed by, but this year... felt different.

 

When 2018 started, Dahyun had a feeling. This is it. This is going to be the year. The year of change.

 

She just hoped it was a good change.


	2. My Youth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Myoui Mina and Kim Wonpil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incoming angst alert!  
> Oh! One thing I should mention: This story will have 32 chapters, and will be split into 3 acts.   
> Act I: Chapters 1-11  
> Act II: Chapters 12-21  
> Act III: Chapters 22-32  
> Just a heads up in case a string of chapters suddenly has a completely different feel!

April 13th, 2018. 2:23 PM.

 

A Japanese girl with long brown hair walked around a forest, enjoying everything that nature had to offer. The sunshine that would beautifully cover the whole forest. The feeling of the breezing wind on her body. This is Myoui Mina.

 

The girl sat down on a blanket she had set up in a spot that's surrounded by rocks in a circular shape. She set up a pillow and lied down. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be enveloped into the beauty of the forest noises.

 

Of course, it wouldn't be peaceful for that long.

 

The phone in her pocket started to vibrate, which meant she had gotten a call. She just opened her eyes and took her phone out.

 

“Wonpil..” Mina said, looking at the name of the caller.

 

The person who called her is Mina's best friend, Kim Wonpil. He was the first person she met when she first arrived in South Korea, and he taught her the ropes, helped her become fluent in Korean. He even let her live with him for a little bit until Mina could rent her own place. One thing that should be mentioned is that he is part of a famous Kpop band, DAY6, but Wonpil stays humble in this regard.

 

The Japanese girl accepted the call.

 

“ **Mina, hey, how are you feeling?** ” Wonpil asked. “ **You left a bit earlier than I expected.** ”

 

“I'm... okay.”

 

“ **Are you sure? All the girls are pretty concerned.”**

 

“...i-it's okay, really. I.. just needed some fresh air.”

 

“ **Are... you..?** ”

 

“Yeah... you can come if you want, i-i don't mind.”

 

“ **Alright, I'll be there, give me about a half hour or so..** ”

 

There was some silence, but then Wonpil spoke up.

 

“ **Some mailman just came to your house, he apparently has a package.** ” Wonpil informed.

 

“package..? I didn't order.. anything..” Mina replied.

 

“ **um... huh.** ”

 

“what?”

 

“ **It's apparently a “reunion package”. It came from... Funakoshi's School of Ballet?** ”

 

Mina's heart dropped.

 

“F-Funa... Funakoshi's?”

 

Ballet... please no...

 

\------------------------------

 

**_November 17_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2004._ **

 

“ ** _Mommy! Ballet seems so cool!” Said the 7-year-old Myoui Mina. Her mother was showing her old photographs of the previous ballet dancers in their families._**

 

“ ** _Yes, yes! It very much is!” Mrs. Myoui replied. “I enjoyed my time being a ballet dancer! The training was the best part! Do you want to be a ballet dancer, Mimi?”_**

 

“ ** _Yes!”_**

 

“ ** _Okay! I'll get your enrolled soon, then!”_**

 

“ ** _Moommmyy! I wanna be a ballerina right now!”_**

 

“ ** _Okay, okay, then let's start practicing.”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_July 5th, 2005_ **

 

**_Mina was currently participating in her ballet lessons. Despite initially having a hard time when she first came in the ballet academy, Mina had risen up, and became the best in her class. She was considered a prodigy._ **

 

“ ** _Mina-san, doing good!” Her teacher said._**

 

**_At just the age of eight years, Mina figured what she wanted to do with her life. She would become a world famous ballet dancer, known all along the world. That was her dream, and nobody could stop her._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_December 11_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2008_ **

 

“ ** _Oh, lookie here! If it ain't Myoui Mimi!”_**

 

“ ** _m-my name's... mina.”_**

 

“ ** _Huh? What was that? Speak up, pipsqueak!”_**

 

“ ** _M-My name is... Mina.”_**

 

**_“Oh please! We all hear your MOMMY calling you Mimi!”_ **

 

“ ** _s-stop..”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 13_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2009._ **

 

“ ** _yeah, that injury is pretty bad.”_**

 

**_“w-will I be able to dance again?”_ **

 

“ ** _Yes, but you'll have to wait at least a few weeks for it to heal.”_**

 

“ ** _okay..”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_August 13_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2010._ **

 

“ ** _Ugh! I can't do this!”_**

 

**_“Just hold on, Mina, you can.”_ **

 

“ ** _I-It's not fun anymore! A-And... all of this is just... it hurts.”_**

 

“ ** _Your leg?”_**

 

“ ** _No, that's better now... just everything about this is so painful to do.”_**

 

**_“Mentally, right?”_ **

 

“ ** _yes... I can't enjoy this.”_**

 

“ ** _you... might have to do something..”_**

 

“ ** _i-i know..”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_August 15th, 2010_ **

 

**_Mina was sitting in her living room, her parents standing in front of her._ **

 

“ ** _Mina.. are you sure?” Her father asked._**

 

“ ** _Yes,” Mina said. “I thought I wanted ballet.. but.. it's just not meant to be.”_**

 

“ ** _Are you serious, Mina?!” Her mother said, voice slightly raised. “It's been a family tradition! I'm a ballet dancer, your grandma is a ballet dancer, hell, even your great great grandma is a ballet dancer!”_**

 

“ ** _...Mom, please.” Mina said. “I-I can't do something that I don't feel passion for.”_**

 

**_Her mother shook her head._ **

 

“ ** _You'll be destroying a family tradition!” Her mother replied. “Are you not ashamed?!”_**

 

**_Mina took a deep breath, then looked into her mother's eyes._ **

 

“ ** _...M-Mom..” Mina said, voice breaking. “Please... accept this... I don't have the passion for ballet... Why should I force myself even more to do something that my heart isn't into? It's not healthy for me... I can't do ballet anymore... Please.. understand me...”_**

 

**_The older woman stood there, taking in Mina's words. Her entire demeanor changed, and she then blew up._ **

 

“ ** _You little BITCH!” Her mother said. “You should be ASHAMED of yourself! You're disgracing our FAMILY!”_**

 

**_Her mother angrily stormed off. The former ballet dancer simply looked down, tears starting to well up in her eyes._ **

 

“ ** _Look, I'll go talk to her.” Mina's father said. “Just.. go to your room and study, okay?”_**

 

“ ** _Yeah.” Mina blankly said._**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_December 25_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2010._ **

 

“ ** _Well, that sucks.”_**

 

**_“I...”_ **

 

**_“I don't know what you were expecting, Mina.” Her mother commented._ **

 

“ ** _M-Mom...” Mina sighed._**

 

**_Mina didn't get anything for Christmas. Her mother excused it as “we have no money.”. But she knew the real reason. Ballet._ **

 

“ ** _Better luck next year, yeah?”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_March 7_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2013. 9:31 AM._ **

 

“ ** _Mom?”_**

 

“ ** _Shut up.” Mrs. Myoui said._**

 

**_Mina and her mother were inside the car, Mrs. Myoui driving to the hospital._ **

 

**_“Mom-”_ **

 

“ ** _I said SHUT UP!”_**

 

“ ** _w-where's... dad..?”_**

 

“ ** _Holy shit, can you shut the FUCK up for one second?”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_9:52 AM._ **

 

“ ** _We're sorry, but that's what happened.”_**

 

“ ** _d-dad..?”_**

 

“ ** _Mina, baby, please, hush.”_**

 

“As ** _we said, you could send him to a center, and there we'll take care of him. Or... you could end his life support.”_**

 

“ ** _B-Brain death... is death, isn't it?”_**

 

“ ** _Yes, ma'am. But there's always-”_**

 

“ ** _I won't be able to live with myself knowing that he'll just be... lying there in some room, rotting away. Let's just get this over with.”_**

 

“ ** _N-NO!”_**

 

“ ** _Mina. Hush.”_**

 

**_“I-I don't want daddy to die!”_ **

 

“ ** _W-We have no choice, dammit!”_**

 

“ ** _Y-You don't have to-”_**

 

“ ** _Quiet, please.”_**

 

“ _ **Mommy**_ ** _, no-”_**

 

“ ** _I SAID QUIET.”_**

 

“ ** _...Is this your final answer, Mrs. Myoui?”_**

 

“ ** _Yes.”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_March 8_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2013._ **

 

“ ** _...mom?”_**

 

“ ** _what.”_**

 

“ ** _i-i'm hungry..”_**

 

“ ** _feed yourself.”_**

 

“ ** _b-but, I don't know how to cook-”_**

 

“ ** _you're 15 years old, you should know how to cook.”_**

 

“ ** _y-you never taught me-”_**

 

“ ** _then teach yourself. Pathetic.”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_September 10_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2014._ **

 

“ ** _Mom.”_**

 

“ ** _Yes, Mina?”_**

 

“ ** _Are... we okay?”_**

 

“ ** _As in?”_**

 

“ ** _You... don't hate me, right?”_**

 

**_“Of course not, baby.”_ **

 

“ ** _O-Okay..”_**

 

“ ** _Hey, I got an idea.”_**

 

“ ** _T-That is..?”_**

 

“ ** _You ever wanted to pick up ballet again?”_**

 

“ ** _...n-not really.”_**

 

“ ** _ah, I see.”_**

 

\------------------------------

 

**_March 9_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2015._ **

 

“ ** _Why...? Mina, why? Please, stay with me.”_**

 

“ ** _It's.. suffocating being in that house.”_**

 

**_Mina and her mother were at the airport. Mina had all of her stuff packaged, and her flight was for Seoul, South Korea._ **

 

“ ** _A-And... I could get a fresh start in Korea... I-I'm sorry, but... I want to do this.”_**

 

**_Mina started to walk away with her luggage._ **

 

“ ** _Myoui Mina you get back here right now!” Her mother said, angry. “Don't you dare disobey me like this!”_**

 

**_Mina stopped in her tracks._ **

 

“ ** _Huh?” Mina said. “Mom..?”_**

 

“ ** _God, I don't know where I went wrong with you!” Her mother said. “You never listen to anything I say!”_**

 

“ ** _What are you saying?” Mina said._**

 

“ ** _Oh, did you already forget?” Her mother said. “Guess you did! You just gave up ballet like it was nothing!”_**

 

**_Mina's heart broke into a million shards. She had thought her mother had forgiven her for this..._ **

 

“ ** _It was just an EASY thing to DO!” Her mother said. “You just had to continue going to your classes, then you would have become a star! Instead, you want to go to fucking Korea!? There's no place for you there! You don't belong in Korea!”_**

 

**_Mina fell silent, tears starting to form._ **

 

“ ** _M-Mom...” Mina said. “Why won't you let me do what I want? I-I-I... y-you told me! You said I was free to do what I wanted!”_**

 

“ ** _The moment you gave up on ballet, all bets were off.” Her mother said. “God, why are you so stupid!? You can never do anything right!”_**

 

“ ** _s-stop it..” Mina said._**

 

“ ** _You're such a fucking disappointment.” Her mother's word cut like a sharp blade._**

 

**_Mina faced her mother one last time, tears rolling down her face._ **

 

“ ** _I'm so s-sorry.” Mina said one last time._**

 

**_Mina walked away, going into the gates, heading towards the inside of the plane._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

April 13th, 2018. 2:29 PM.

 

Mina didn't realize it, but her phone screen stained with a tear as she stared at it.

 

“ **Hey... Mina?** _”_ Wonpil asked.

 

“t-that package... g-get rid of it, please..” Mina said.

 

“ **You sure? It had your name-** ”

 

“I have nothing to do with ballet. Please.”

 

“ **Okay... h-hey, I'll be there in a bit, okay?** ” Wonpil said. “ **Just hold on.** ”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:53 PM.

 

The girl was just lying there in silence, her eyes closed. She was really trying, really, _really_ , trying. But... it was painful. To just think about those times...

 

She heard footsteps. He was here.

 

“Wonpil..”

 

The boy sat next to the girl, looking at her.

 

“Hey there, Mina.” Wonpil said. The Japanese girl sat up. “Wonpil..”

 

The girl slowly looked for his hand. He helped her out, and the two just sat there holding hands. He didn't need Mina to talk, not yet. He understood what she was going through, and would always give her time to settle herself.

 

Time passed, and then Mina finally spoke up.

 

“w-what.. did the girls say?” She asked.

 

“Well, as I said, they were pretty concerned. I just told them that you needed air, and they understood.” The keyboardist replied.

 

“T-They're so understanding....”

 

“Yeah, they are.”

 

Mina sighed. The keyboardist looked at her once more.

 

Wonpil wanted to ask Mina about her past, but he knew that was a sensitive topic. Besides not knowing much of Mina's past, Wonpil knew a lot about Mina's character as a whole, so he knew she was a good person and had a great personality.

 

“Do you want to come back? I'm sure the girls are missing you.” Wonpil said.

 

“S-Sure..” Mina replied. The keyboardist helped the girl up. “If you want, once we're done talking to them, we can go back here.”

 

“I... appreciate that.” The Japanese girl said. “Thank you.”

 

“Anything for you.” Wonpil smiled.

 

The Japanese girl just hugged him. “Really... thank you.”

 

Mina liked that she could always rely on Wonpil. Since the very moment she arrived in Korea, he was there for her. And he always will be. Wonpil is the greatest friend anyone could ask for, and Mina will forever cherish him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me! :( 
> 
> Chapter 3 will be a lot more lighthearted, and I do promise that our precious Minari will get her happy ending!


	3. Peaches and Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo, and Kang Seulgi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna keep it real with ya, this chapter was a bit frustrating to write :P. I'm actually 20 chapters into the story, but I'm making sure the earlier chapters are on par with the quality of the later chapters!

April 13th, 2018. 11:20 AM.

 

In an arcade somewhere in Seoul, there were two girls. Minatozaki Sana, and Hirai Momo. For the past hour, Momo has been trying to master this game she saw, but, as expected, she failed every time at level ten.

 

“Do you wanna give it up now?” Sana asked, a little bit annoyed by how long she's been waiting.

 

“Uhh...” Momo just stared at the screen as it started to countdown. “I guess....”

 

“That was.. surprisingly easy.” The younger girl replied.

 

“I've got to open the studio, and I need a class to teach.” The older girl stated. “So...”

 

Momo is a well-known dancer around South Korea. She owns a dance studio in which she gives dancing lessons for free, and she records dance covers. The dancer would occasionally have people come in for private dancing lessons, in which she gladly does it. They would always pay her, without her even asking for it. Momo would usually get recognized when she would go around.

 

Before, people would crowd Momo and ask for an autograph, take pictures, etc. But after Momo released a statement asking for some space when she would go out in public, she would only be approached by small groups of people, usually more shy fans. Regardless, Momo would always treat them with respect and kindness.

 

“A class to teach at 11 am?” Sana asked.

 

“Well... at 2 PM.” Momo replied.

 

“Why are we heading to your studio so early, then?”

 

“I want to record a couple of covers.”

 

“I see.”

 

Minatozaki started walking towards the front of the arcade, Momo just trailing behind her. As they exited the arcade, Sana could just see somebody in the crowd of the sidewalk.

 

“Hey, how about you head over to your studio right now? I'll meet up with you.” Sana said.

 

“Huh? Oh, sure... See you in a bit, Sana!” Momo waved bye as she left the girl by herself. With that, the younger girl made her way towards the person she saw, finally catching up to them. She tapped them on the shoulder.

 

“Hey!” Sana said to a girl. The girl turned around to face her. “Oh! Hey there!”

 

This is Kang Seulgi, one of Sana's close friends. Seulgi is... definitely an interesting personality, but Sana likes that about her.

 

“That is so weird!” Seulgi said. “I actually was about to go find you!”

 

“Oh really?” Sana asked.

 

“Yeah.” The Korean girl replied. “Can we find somewhere to sit? It's noisy out here..”

 

“Sure.”

 

Sana brought Seulgi back into the arcade, and the two girls sat on the bench against the wall. Seulgi made sure nobody else was listening in, then she looked at Sana.

 

“Soo.... you know how I've been trying to get into some entertainment companies?” Seulgi asked.

 

“JYP... YG... SM..” Sana listed off.

 

“Yes!” Seulgi replied. “Welllll... I got some news!”

 

“Oh?”

 

“I got accepted into SM!”

 

Sana just pulled Seulgi into a hug. “I'm so happy for you!” The older girl hugged her back. “Thank you!”

 

After some time, they pulled away from the hug.

 

“I'm going to sound like a spoiled brat, but I wish they had accepted me earlier.” Seulgi pouted.

 

“You mean way back?” Minatozaki asked.

 

“Yup!”

 

The Japanese girl took a few seconds to collect her thoughts, then she spoke up. “Who knows? Maybe you could have debuted with Red Velvet. You would have fit in well with them.”

 

The Korean girl just raised an eyebrow. “I don't see it. I think I'd be better off solo, anyway.”

 

“We'll see.” Minatozaki smiled. Her phone vibrated. “Ah! Totally forgot! I have to go meet up with Momo!”

 

“Well, hurry along then,” Seulgi smirked. “Go meet with your girlfriend.”

 

“Oh, shut up!” Sana growled, getting up. “She’s not my girlfriend! A-Anyways... what are you going to do?”

 

“Um... go home?” The Korean girl replied. “I don't start training for a couple of days from now.”

 

“Ah, okay.. see you!” The Japanese girl waved bye, before leaving.

 

\------------------------------

 

11:42 AM.

 

Eventually, Sana made her to Momo's studio and got to the second-floor dance room. In there, Momo had already finished covering one song.

 

“Oh hey.” Momo greeted, putting her hands to her hips. “I was wondering when you were going to show up.”

 

“I was talking to Seulgi.” Sana informed.

 

“I know that.” The dance teacher replied.

 

The younger girl stood there for a couple of moments of silence, then she looked around the room.

 

“What songs are you covering, actually?” Minatozaki asked.

 

“Just some songs from last year, since I didn't get to cover them before.” Momo replied.

 

“Oh.”

 

Sana sat on the couch, while Momo started up a song.

 

“Feel free to watch.” Momo smiled.

 

“A-Ah... yeah.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:59 AM.

 

For the past couple of minutes, Momo had been sitting next to Sana, taking her break. The younger Japanese girl was just using her phone, while Momo continued to study some more choreographies in her head.

 

“Hey,” Sana said, looking up.

 

“Mmhmm?”

 

“Soo... do you want to watch a movie tomorrow?”

 

“Yeah, sure. What kind?”

 

“Horror.”

 

“W-Waaaahhh! Why HORROR!?” The dance teacher pouted childishly.

 

“Because I'm getting bored of watching comedies.” Minatozaki remarked.

 

“A-At least I can watch those!”

 

“If you watch the movie with me, then I'll buy you as much food as you want.”

 

The older girl immediately fixed herself to be looking right into Sana's eyes. “Really?”

 

“Yup.” The younger girl replied.

 

“You're not joking?”

 

“Not joking. As much as you want, the possibilities are endless.”

 

“Mmm...” Momo stood up. “Fine. You win this time, Minatozaki.”

 

“That's the spirit.” Sana smiled.

 

Sana's phone buzzed, and she looked at it.

 

“O-Oh..” The younger girl coughed. “Hey, um, I'm going to go out for a bit, is that okay?”

 

“Uh, yeah, sure...” The dance teacher replied. “My break is done anyways, so... I'm going to record now, but uh... you might have to stay out for a couple of minutes.”

 

“Okay,” Minatozaki said. “I'll be back.”

 

Sana left the room and proceeded to call the number that had previously texted her.

 

“So, what's going on?” Sana asked the caller.

 

“ **Eh? I didn't think you would call me..** ”

 

“Your text sounded pretty serious, sorry if I got worried.” The Japanese girl replied. “Now, Jihyo, tell me, what's up?”

 

“ **Oh.. well..** ” Jihyo sighed. “ **I was thinking about Dahyun, and how she's been living with Chaeyoung..** ”

 

“Are you getting jealous?” Minatozaki asked in a teasing fashion.

 

“ **What? Why would I get jealous?** ” The Korean girl asked, completely oblivious to Sana's teasing. “ **No, it's just... My sisters are going to move out next month.. and, um, I'm going to be lonely.** ”

 

“So, you want your beloved Dubu to live with you?”

 

“ **I-I mean... is that so wrong? After all, I am her unnie. And we're childhood friends, too. We've slept in the same bed before.** ” The JYP trainee said. “ **Besides, Dahyun's turning 20 next month too, so... I kinda want to help her out there too.** ”

 

“Go for it. You know Dahyun the best out of any of us.”

 

“ **Yeah, you're right..**. **Thank you, Sana.** ”

 

Jihyo hung up. Sana stared at her phone.

 

...Geez. Sana thought to herself.

 

Sana would occasionally think about Jihyo, but not in a romantic sort of way. Or... at least she hopes it isn't romantic. Minatozaki would catch herself thinking about Jihyo in a certain way, and paying attention to her laugh, or her moles, or-

 

A-Anyways... Sana respected Jihyo and really appreciated her caring and motherly nature.

 

“...?” Minatozaki looked at her phone again, a new text appearing. “Oh.”

 

“ **Heya, Sana!** ” The text read. It was from Seulgi. “ **I have some news for you! A new arcade-minigolf-whatever place just opened, and I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight?** ”

 

“Sure. I'll bring Momo.” Sana texted back.

 

She put her phone in her pocket and peeked a bit into the dance room.

 

“Hey!” Momo said. “Come in already!”

 

“Oh, sure.” Sana replied, entering the room.

 

“I decided not to record, because I was thinking you weren't going to take that long.” The dance teacher replied.

 

The younger girl pulled out her phone. “Seulgi texted me. Some new place is opening, and she wanted to go check it out.”

 

“Is it that minigolf-arcade place? I can't seem to remember the name...” The older girl trailed off.

 

Sana looked up at her. “You wanna go?”

 

“Yeah, sure. Just let me do my business first, and then we can go.” Momo replied.

 

“Well, it's later tonight, though.”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

Momo proceeded to start a song up again, so Sana sat on the couch and just watched her dance.


	4. The Bunny and The Maknae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Im Nayeon and Chou Tzuyu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done introducing all the characters! After this, I assure you that the story will pick up!

April 14th, 2018. 1:02 PM.

 

At a park somewhere in Seoul, South Korea, were two girls, Im Nayeon and Chou Tzuyu. They were just taking a casual stroll, talking to each other about whatever came to mind.

 

“And..” Tzuyu trailed off, completely losing her train of thought. “A-Anyways, are you free tonight?”

 

“Uh, sudden change of topic, but... no, I don't have anything planned,” Nayeon replied. “Why?”

 

“Oh, I want you to come over to my house.” The Taiwanese girl said.

 

“Oh?” The bunny girl raised an eyebrow. “And why's that?”

 

“It's been forever since you've visited. I miss having you there.”

 

The older girl held back a blush. “I see... and what are we going to do there?”

 

“Have fun.” Tzuyu replied.

 

Another blush was held back. “Been a while since I've had a girl be this upfront with me.”

 

The younger girl just rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah...”

 

Nayeon started to search through her purse, and eventually pulled out a camera. Tzuyu just stopped in her tracks and looked at Nayeon.

 

“Oh, that's a good shot!” Nayeon said. “Hold that position, please!”

 

One thing to mention is that Nayeon is a freelance photographer, and she owns her own website to get client requests. Since she takes high-quality photos and has a 100% satisfaction rate, she could get just two clients in one day, and she would make good money. And when a good shot shows up, a good shot she's going to take.

 

Eventually, Nayeon put her camera back after having taken, about 10 pictures of Tzuyu. She really wanted to savor the pretty sight in front of her.

 

“Let's sit, shall we?” Nayeon asked, pointing at the bench just behind Tzuyu. The maknae turned around. “Huh, didn't even see that there.”

 

The two girls made themselves comfortable, sitting on the bench. The sat there in silence, Nayeon letting out the occasional sigh. It wasn't until the fifth sigh that the younger girl realized what was up.

 

“What is it?” Tzuyu asked, looking at it.

 

“You know that I love being a photographer, it's the perfect job.” The bunny girl said. “But...”

 

The older girl just groaned.

 

“I've literally just been getting weddings,” Nayeon said. “So, I just spend like five hours taking pictures of people who are madly in love, and it's basically adding salt to my wound.”

 

“Oh...” Tzuyu said.

 

Nayeon.. is much to say, lonely. She's gay, and although South Korea has become accepting of gays recently, there's still a lot of people hesitant to come out. As a result, the market of girls for Nayeon is very small. Meanwhile, for a straight girl like Tzuyu, she could easily go onto a dating app, and she would find a boy within seconds.

 

“Sorry, that's pretty rough.” The maknae said.

 

“It's fine.” The bunny girl replied. “I'll find a girl, eventually.”

 

The two girls sat there in silence. Eventually, Nayeon spoke up.

 

“Well, since we're on the topic of love life, how about you?” She asked. “Got a boyfriend..?”

 

“No.” The younger girl replied. “I've been busy with my studies. And like, I've gone on dates with boys, but like.. jeez. All they want is to hook up.”

 

“That's awful.”

 

“I've only met like one decent guy, but it didn't work out, either.”

 

The brown-haired girl, Nayeon, smirked.

 

“Have you had your first kiss yet?” The bunny girl asked.

 

“H-Huh!?” The maknae stuttered. “O-Of course I've had! I've k-kissed plenty of guys!”

 

The maknae was lying. Despite having gone on dates with multiple boys, she's never had her first kiss yet. She's been saving it for the right person.

 

“That's a VERRRYYY convincing argument.” The older girl laughed.

 

“Hey..” The younger girl fell silent, then bravely spoke up. “Well, I assure you that this year, I will have my first kiss!”

 

“That's a big thing to say,” Nayeon said. “Let's see how this works out.”

 

Tzuyu felt like she wanted to melt away. Nayeon is always so insistent on teasing her. She likes it, of course, but it can be overwhelming at times. The younger girl's phone buzzed, so she looked at it.

 

“Who texted?” The bunny girl asked.

 

“Ah, just Momo.” The maknae replied. “In the group chat.”

 

“Ohh?” The older girl took her phone out. “Interesting..”

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Momo: Heya!**

 

**Jihyo: Oh, hey, Momo!**

 

**Momo: T-T**

 

**Dahyun: What is it?**

 

**Momo: Sana hasn't come to me at all today ;-;**

 

**Sana: I told you that I would be busy today.**

 

**Momo: Ik but it still hurts ;-;**

 

**Sana: .-.**

 

**Tzuyu: That's all?**

 

**Chaeyoung: Oh, hey, Tzuyu**

 

**Tzuyu: Yes, Chae?**

 

**Chaeyoung: I've got to talk to you about something!**

 

**Tzuyu: Like, in person or...?**

 

**Chaeyoung: Ya, in person! We can meet at the park or smthn**

 

**Nayeon: Funny, because we're at the park right now.**

 

**Chaeyoung: Oh, k, then I'll be there!**

 

**Momo: Saaaaannnnaaaaaaa ;-;**

 

\------------------------------

 

The two girls put their phones away.

 

“I guess Chae's coming over here, then.” The bunny girl commented

 

Tzuyu was just staring at her phone quietly. “I'm sad.”

 

“Huh? Why?” The older girl asked.

 

“When was the last time Mina even talked to us?” The Taiwanese girl questioned. “I've invited her out so many times, but every single time, without fail, Mina turns it down.”

 

“When you invite her out, do you mention that you're going with other people?”

 

“Yeah, usually I'm with Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Sometimes with Momo and Jihyo.”

 

“That's it.” The bunny girl stated. “I've invited Mina out a few times, and she would always accept my invitation.”

 

“So, you think she's just nervous around a group of people?” The Taiwanese girl asked.

 

“Yeah, exactly.”

 

The two girls sat there in silence for a while, and then Chaeyoung walked over to them.

 

“Hey!” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Oh, that didn't take too long,” Tzuyu remarked.

 

“Yeah, well, I was in the area.” The orange haired girl replied...

 

Tzuyu got up. “Is it something that we have to talk about in private or..?”

 

“Yeah, sort of,” Chaeyoung said, she then looked at Nayeon. “I'll return your girl in a bit.”

 

“What!?” The maknae glared at Chaeyoung. “D-Don't be ridiculous!”

 

Nayeon sort of just sat in silence. Chaeyoung simply snickered and walked away.

 

“Uh, yeah, I'll be back..” The Taiwanese girl said awkwardly, walking away.

 

Nayeon sighed, positioning herself comfortably on the bench. She started using her phone.

 

\------------------------------

 

Some time had passed, and Tzuyu came back with Chaeyoung.

 

“Hey.” The younger girl greeted.

 

“Oh, hey.” The bunny girl sighed. “I got a call, so I have to go.”

 

“Oh, okay.” The younger girl trailed off, then spoke up. “See you tonight?”

 

“Yeah, see you then.” Nayeon said, walking away.

 

Chaeyoung was just smirking.

 

“Oooo, so you got a date with the bunny girl, then?” Chaeyoung remarked.

 

Tzuyu blushed again, her face starting to heat up out of embarrassment.

 

“Stop that.” The younger girl stated.

 

“Jeez, Dahyun and now you.” The orange haired girl remarked. “What am I going to do with you lovesick puppies?”

 

“S-Stop it! Nayeon's just a really good friend, okay!?”

 

“Mhmm. Sure.”

 

“You know that I like men anyways.” Tzuyu crossed her arms.

 

“Meh, Nayeon thought she did too.” Chaeyoung replied.

 

Tzuyu shook her head. The younger girl wouldn't like to admit it, but she has a bit of a “crush” on Nayeon. And by "crush", she mean that she looks up to Nayeon, and respects her a lot. She wouldn't go any farther than that, though.

 

“Well, let's go do something,” Tzuyu said. “Or talk.”

 

“We should probably study,” Chaeyoung replied. “Next week is going to be rough.”

 

“Why'd you have to remind me of that? Now I'm going to stress all day!”

 

“I'll help you get unstressed before your date with Nayeon, then.” The short girl teased.

 

The black-haired girl, Tzuyu, started to walk away.

 

“I'm going home.” The taller girl said. “Catch up or I'll leave you behind, shorty.”

 

“How rude!” Chaeyoung said, running to catch up to Tzuyu.

 

\------------------------------

 

April 15, 2018. 2:31 PM.

 

Jihyo was at the JYP entertainment building, inside one of the practice rooms. She had finished practicing just whatever came to her mind, usually a choreography of some sort.

 

“Oh, hey there,” Jihyo said. “It's good to see you.”

 

“Sorry, am I intruding?” Dahyun asked.

 

“No, you're good.” The JYP trainee replied.

 

Dahyun was carrying a bag, that seemed to have a container inside.

 

“I brought you some food.” The blonde said.

 

“Oh, thank you.” The older girl replied. “I appreciate it.”

 

There was a couch there, so Jihyo sat down on it.

 

“You know, Jeongyeon called me earlier.” The younger girl said, placing the container next to Jihyo.

 

Yoo Jeongyeon is a friend that the duo has known for a long time. They met her in 2011, and have been good friends with her ever since.

 

“Did she now?” The older girl questioned, opening the container.

 

“Yeah.” The younger girl replied.

 

“What about?”

 

“She just wanted to know if we could come over. She specifically said just you and me.”

 

“I have time to spare. It's been a while since it was just us three together.”

 

“The Trendy Trio is going to reunite!” Dahyun cheered.

 

Jihyo started eating her food, clearly trying to avoid that cringe-worthy group name.

 

“I wonder what Jeongyeon has planned. You know that if she's calling just us two, she's got something planned.”

 

“Maybe a girl's night out. Like we used to do back then.”

 

“Oh! Now that's something I haven't heard of in a long time!” Dahyun clapped.

 

The blonde sat next to her best friend. They sat there in silence as Jihyo finished eating her food.

 

“Have you ate, Dahyun?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Yeah, before I came over here.” Dahyun replied.

 

“Good.” Jihyo got up from her seat. “Let's go see Jeongyeon.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to DaHyo for my daily dose of uwu's.


	5. Just Another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Yoo Jeongyeon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm done with the slow introduction of characters (at the time it seemed really clever, but now I realized that it really slowed the story down), the main story can officially begin. Get ready, it's a good one.

April 15th, 2018, 4:35 PM.

 

Dahyun and Jihyo had finally arrived at Jeongyeon's house. They approached the front, and the older girl knocked on the door. Almost immediately, Jeongyeon swung it open.

 

“Hey there, Jeongyeon.” Jihyo greeted.

 

“Come in.” Jeongyeon replied.

 

The two girls entered the house as Jeongyeon closed the front door and locked it.

 

“Oh, late notice, but your hair has gotten very long, huh,” Dahyun commented.

 

“Oh wow, thanks Sherlock.” The taller girl remarked. “Would've never seen that one.”

 

Dahyun pouted. “You're such a bully!”

 

Jeongyeon just chuckled as she walked over to the kitchen. “Make yourselves at home. Well, I suppose this is like, your third home, anyways...”

 

Jeongyeon's house was pretty big, almost like a “mansion” as Miss Yoo herself described it. The kitchen and the living room were connected, so they were no walls between them. The JYP trainee entered the kitchen.

 

“Oh, uh.” Jeongyeon trailed off. “You want some water or something?”

 

“No, I just needed to tell you something.” Jihyo looked over to Dahyun, who was already in the living room, getting distracted by some toy or whatever. “Should... I.... you know...?”

 

“You already know how she's going to respond.” The older girl put a hand on Jihyo's shoulder. “Go for it.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Jihyo walked over to the living room to talk to her friend, while Jeongyeon started to pour a glass of water. And then... an idea popped into her head.

 

“Hey, you still living with Chaeyoung?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“I would tell you if I wasn't.” The blonde replied.

 

“Mmm... you better tell you two are an item at this rate, because gurl, it's getting too much at this point.” The older girl smirked.

 

“W-Waaahhh! You know how it is with my parents!” The younger girl whined.

 

“That I do. Hey, how long was that Son family arrangement again?” Jeongyeoon took a sip of her water.

 

“U-Until may...” Dahyun replied.

 

Jeongyeon motioned at Jihyo, who did not understand at all. She mentally facepalmed as she continued to motion at Jihyo, who STILL did not understand.

 

“A S K H E R.” The older girl mouthed.

 

“What?” Jihyo asked, catching Dahyun's attention, who looked at Jeongyeon. “Hmmm?”

 

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. “Oh whatever..” The older girl poured herself a cup of water, taking a sip of it.

 

The childhood friends sat down on the couch and watched as Jeongyeon sat next to them.

 

“It's a bit nice to be here, it's been hectic over at JYP lately,” Jihyo informed.

 

“Oh? I gotta know this.” The older girl looked at Jihyo. “Tell me, sis.”

 

“Tell.... me... sis?” Jihyo repeated. The taller girl just groaned. “Whatever, tell me.”

 

The JYP trainee sighed. “Uh... Stray Kids debuted, so there's that whole situation going on... and that's it.”

 

“Oh,” Jeongyeon said, with extreme disappointment apparent in her voice. “That's it?”

 

“What... were you expecting?” The 97 liner asked. The older girl shrugged. “Something more exciting, I guess.”

 

The older girl noted Dahyun was staring at Jihyo, so she raised an eyebrow in response while looking right at the girl. The blonde just coughed, and the JYP trainee turned to face her.

 

“Oh!” Jihyo perked up. “S-So... y-you know how... my sisters are moving out next month...”

 

“Y-Yes... are you going to be okay?” The blonde asked.

 

“Um... y-yeah... I got a question to ask you, though..”

 

“You know you can ask me anything.”

 

Jihyo cleared her throat. “I was... wondering... if maybe... you'd like to move to my house... and live with me?”

 

If Dahyun had a drink right now, she probably would either A. Spit it out, or B. Started choking on it. Was Jihyo, the woman she's so madly in love with, really asking her to LIVE with her? Dahyun was tempted to start poking herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming right now. The blonde just stared at Jihyo, a bit taken aback.

 

 “Oh... s-sorry...” The JYP trainee looked away, taking Dahyun's silence as a “no”.

 

“W-Wait no! I-I mean- YES! YES!” Dahyun said excitedly. “I would LOVE to live with you!”

 

The older girl did a spit take, getting water all over her carpet. “Shit! Dammit!”

 

The two best friends just stared at Jeongyeon, as she stood up and ran over to her kitchen to retrieve napkins.

 

“Uh, you good?” The blonde asked.

 

“Just peachy, thanks.” Jeongyeon remarked, setting the napkins on the floor and repeatedly dabbing it on her carpet.

 

“Need help there?” The multi-colored haired girl asked.

 

“No, I'm good.” The older girl replied. “Just.. continue your conversation.”

 

The JYP trainee looked back to her best friend and fell silent. Then, she remembered Dahyun's answer.

 

“Y-You'd love to live with me?” Jihyo's eyes shined with joy that Dahyun made feel so warm.

 

“O-Of course.” The blonde said, a blush apparent on her face.

 

Jihyo smiled. Dahyun's response made her happy. With how much time the two spend together, living together is the perfect cherry on top of their already super-close relationship.

 

“W-Well... it's good we're planning this ahead of time.” The JYP trainee said. “Next month.”

 

“Y-Yeah, next month!” The blonde replied. May can't come any sooner.

 

“I mean... you could move in right now... if you wanted to.” Jihyo stated, a bit flustered.

 

“But your sisters are still there! Where would I even sleep?” Dahyun whined.

 

“We could share my room.” The JYP trainee suggested.

 

Jeongyeon started to cough uncontrollably. It was just hilarious that Jihyo, who is completely oblivious to Dahyun's crush on her, is the one making moves on the younger girl, without even meaning to.

 

“S-Share... share your room?” The pale girl started to blush, furiously.

 

“Of course, Dubu!” The 97 liner responded. “We've slept on the same bed countless times before!”

 

The blonde girl blushed even harder at thought of sleeping on the same bed with Jihyo. Jeongyeon just started to chuckle.

 

“Oh my god, you're killing me,” Jeongyeon said. “I consent to you two sharing a bed 100%!”

 

The blonde shot a glare at the oldest girl, who just smirked in return. The JYP trainee just sat there, completely bewildered.

 

“What is going on?” The 97 liner asked.

 

“N-Nothing..” The 98 liner replied. “S-Sure.. we can share a room.”

 

“Yay! Thank you Dahyun!” Jihyo said, pulling Dahyun into a hug. The blonde hugged her back.

 

Jeongyeon faked coughed, saying “Gay” in the middle of her “cough” fit. But it didn't matter to Dahyun, she just fully immersed herself into Jihyo's warm embrace, feeling her loving aura. They hug a lot, but this hug felt different. Eventually, the JYP trainee pulled away.

 

“So, when will you move in?” She asked, smiling warmly at her childhood friend.

 

“I'll wait until your sisters move out.” The pale girl answered. “I don't want them to make a big deal over us sleeping together.”

 

“That's fine,” Jihyo replied. “Well, guess I'll be living with you next month, then.”

 

“It's almost like watching a K-Drama.” Jeongyeon remarked.

 

“Oh shush.” The blonde said in response. Jihyo laughed.

 

Jeongyeon started to think about what to do. Then, an idea came to her. “Oh! I know!”

 

“What is it?” The JYP trainee asked.

 

“We should go get drinks to celebrate this!”

 

The blonde pouted and started to whine. “Unniee... you know last time I drank I had the worst hangover ever!”

 

“....Lightweight.” Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. “Then you sit your pretty ass here and Jihyo and I will go get drinks. After all, Jihyo IS the best alcohol drinker.”

 

“And what am I supposed to dooo!?” Dahyun whined more.

 

“Drink chocolate milk or something.” The eldest remarked. “Jihyo?”

 

“It'd be so mean to just leave Dahyun by herself, you know?” The JYP trainee reasoned.

 

“Like I said, attached to the hip~” Jeongyeon teased. “Fine, then we stay here. Watch some movies, maybe talk about some other stuff. Oh! Like... Jihyo~ see any boys lately?”

 

“No.” The girl responded.

 

“Oh.”

 

The eldest walked over to her kitchen and noted a lack of... well, everything.

 

“Well, my kitchen is empty.” Jeongyeon said.

 

“That means it's...” Dahyun winded up.

 

“Grocery time!” Jihyo completed.

 

The two childhood friends just hugged each other while laughing.

 

“Cute,” Jeongyeon said under her breath. Then, she cleared her throat. “You don't mind if you stay here, right? I’m going to get some groceries.”

 

“Let us come.” The JYP trainee said.

 

“Nah, you two can stay here. I'll try not to take too long.” The older girl replied.

 

“See you in two hours.” The blonde remarked. Jeongyeon rolled her eyes in response.

 

“Dubu, don't be so mean.” Jihyo scolded.

 

“S-Sorry...” Dahyun replied.

 

“Alright, for real this time, I'm heading out,” Jeongyeon stated. “See you girls in a bit! Oh, and I'm getting chocolate milk, because I KNOW you'll be annoying over it, Dahyun!”

 

The oldest girl exited the house, leaving the two childhood friends by themselves. The two girls sat in silence before Jihyo turned to face Dahyun. “Hey, Dahyun..”

 

Jihyo held Dahyun's hand, then looked into her eyes. Much to say, the blonde felt overwhelmed.

 

“H-Huh?” Dahyun stuttered. “J-Jihyo, what's up?”

 

“One day, can you please play the piano for me?” The JYP trainee asked. “I would love to watch you play.”

 

Now Dahyun started to wonder if Jihyo really was straight.

 

“Y-Yes, of course.” The pale girl answered. “I'll do a bunch of songs for you, you deserve it.”

 

Jihyo smiled, then hugged her again. Maybe it was just Dahyun's mind messing with her, but she felt like Jihyo was sending a signal to her, and she was completely missing it. Or, like she originally thought, her mind was messing with her.

 

Regardless, it was time to pick up playing the piano again. It's been a few months. Dahyun surely must have gotten rusty.

 

\------------------------------

 

4:51 PM

 

Mina was at a grocery store, looking for dog food. Back in 2016, for her birthday, Wonpil had bought Mina a female puppy that she named Chichi. Throughout the years the dog has helped her feel better, and with Wonpil's help, Chichi grew up to be a very intelligent and well-trained dog. Besides dog food, Mina was also buying groceries for herself. She went over to the milk section and met a familiar face there.

 

“Oh! Hey there Mina!” Jeongyeon said.

 

“H-Hi..” Mina said quietly, grabbing two gallons of milk.

 

“So, how's your day been?” The Korean girl asked. “I don't really get to see you much.”

 

“Ah... I'm okay.” The Japanese girl replied. “You know how things are..”

 

“That I do.” The older girl said, she looked over to Mina's cart. “Ohh! How's Chichi doing? She's just the cutest!”

 

“She's good.” The younger girl replied, setting the milk on her cart. “I-It was nice seeing you, but... I should go.”

 

“H-Hey! I was um.. wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out sometime?”

 

Mina was surprised. She's been invited to go out by all the girls except Jeongyeon. For some reason, Jeongyeon's invitation felt a little different compared to the other girls.

 

“Is there going to be anyone else with you..?” Mina asked.

 

“Nah! It's just going to be me!” Jeongyeon said. “I mean, right now, I'm with Jihyo and Dahyun, but I'll be free tomorrow!”

 

“S-Sure.... we can hang out tomorrow.” 

 

“That's good to hear! Okay, well... come to the dog park, we'll meet there.”

 

“What time?”

 

“At 2:30 pm. I'll see you there!”

 

Jeongyeon grabbed chocolate milk from the fridge and walked away. Mina just stood there thinking. Did Jeongyeon basically ask her out on a date? Mina was confused.. but she wasn't complaining.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:11 PM.

 

Mina returned home, groceries in her car. She parked her car in the garage and then started to unload the groceries. 

 

“Hey there.” A familiar voice said, startling the girl.  “O-Oh! Sorry!”

 

Mina turned around to face Wonpil.  “W-Wonpil.”

 

“I wasn't thinking, I'm so sorry!” Wonpil apologized.

 

 “I-It's... it's okay...” The Japanese girl replied. “Just... be more careful... next time, okay?”

 

“Y-Yeah, definitely.” The keyboardist sighed. “Hey, need help with your groceries?”

 

“It-....” Mina fell silent. “I-If it's not... too much of a b-b-bother, y-yes please..”

 

After a couple of moments spent unloading the rest of the groceries, the two were now inside Mina's house, having set the groceries inside her kitchen.

 

“Ah... sorry that I haven't been texting today. It's been very busy lately.” The keyboardist said as Mina started to fill Chichi's food bowl. She looked up at him. “I-It's... okay...”

 

“I can make it up to you if you'd like.” He said.

 

“N-No... i-i-it's okay....” The girl replied.

 

“You sure? I can buy you dinner if you'd like.”

 

“I-It's okay....”

 

He just nodded as Mina stood up. “I-I... don't... want to be... rude, but... um... I sort of... wanted to spend some time... by myself. I-If you don't mind.”

 

“Oh, that's okay,” Wonpil replied. “I'll see you tomorrow then?” The Japanese girl nodded. “Yes.”

 

The keyboardist left the house, leaving Mina by herself. The girl was anxious about her date with Jeongyeon. Out of all of her friends, Jeongyeon was a bit unknown to her, so getting this chance to know her was very exciting to Mina.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:42 PM.

 

Nayeon was at a wedding, her exact fear. She had finished taking pictures of the moment of marriage, but now she needed to take pictures of the after-party. The bunny girl was sitting alone at a table, with a piece of cake in front of her. While the groom and bride respected Nayeon for her amazing talent, they haven't talked to her at all. She supposes it makes sense since she's just a stranger to them after all.

 

“Hey there.” A girl said, sitting next to the photographer. “So, you're the famed Im Nayeon I've been hearing about.”

 

“Yup..” Nayeon said, taking a sip of her water.

 

“Name's Seo Jangmi.” The girl introduced herself, holding a hand out for Nayeon to shake.

 

“Hey.” The bunny girl replied, shaking the girl's hand. “So, I take it you know the bride or groom?”

 

“I'm actually the groom's sister,” Jangmi answered. “I'm so proud of him.”

 

The bunny girl sipped some of her drink. “That's so nice.”

 

The photographer could tell that Jangmi didn't approach her for just friendly conversation, She's been noticing how the girl's been eyeing her. She knew exactly what she wanted. Might as well take a shot.

 

“So, I was thinking maybe we could go out-” Nayeon said.

 

“Hey, babe!” A man interrupted, approaching Jangmi.

 

“Babe, there you are!” Jangmi said, getting up and kissing the man.

 

“You've got to be fucking kidding me.” Nayeon said out loud, but by pure luck, the loving couple didn't hear her.

 

The bunny girl groaned. This was something straight out of a cliché K-Drama. She wondered why life was sometimes so cruel to her, had she done something to deserve this? She just sighed and fiddled with her camera, at least she was getting paid for her suffering.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:01 PM.

 

“Strawberry flavor again?”

 

“How many times do I have to tell yoouuu?”

 

“You're gonna get sick of them.”

 

“Mmm... nope!”

 

Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were spending time together, and currently, they're at a frozen yogurt place. To nobody's surprise, Chaeyoung immediately went over to the strawberry flavor.

 

“Strawberry toppings, wow.” The maknae rolled her eyes.

 

“Ugh, I can feel you rolling your eyes.” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“That's kinda creepy.”

 

Meanwhile, Tzuyu went a bit overboard with chocolate flavors.

 

“You diss me for getting strawberries, but you could gain like 10 pounds from that one cup.” The orange-haired girl remarked.

 

“Um, no, because I exercise.” Tzuyu replied.

 

“Whatever you say, Chewbacca.”

 

“Excuse you, it's Yoda.”

 

“Wow, haven't heard that one in a while,” Chaeyoung said. “Nayeon's that only one that calls you that, huh.”

 

“So...?” The Taiwanese girl stared.

 

“You two are basically a couple already.” The orange-haired girl remarked. “You already gave each other nicknames.”

 

“S-Shut up!” Tzuyu yelled, putting some yogurt in Chaeyoung's mouth. “Taste this!”

 

“W-What the hell!?” Chaeyoung sputtered. “You're such a child!”

 

The younger girl smirked. “Now don't mention my bunny again.”

 

“AH-AH! You just called her a PETNAME!” The Korean girl replied. “YOU WUUVVVVEEE HER!”

 

Tzuyu lowkey hoped that she could start choking on her frozen yogurt so she wouldn't have to talk to Chaeyoung anymore.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:30 PM.

 

Back at her home, Sana was just cleaning the living room. But then, she got a call on her phone, so she took it out of her pocket and answered it once she saw it was Momo.

 

“ **Oh! That was quick! Hey Sana!** ” Momo said.

 

“What is it?” Sana asked, a bit aggressive than she intended. “S-Sorry... didn't mean for it to come out that way.”

 

“ **Ah... well... I was planning on getting drinks... but uh... how's your mood today?** ” The dance teacher asked.

 

Minatozaki just fell silent, which was a huge tell for Momo.

 

“ **I-I see... it's one of those days, I'm sorry.** ”

 

“N-No, it's okay.” The brown-haired girl just looked at her T.V. “U-Um... I'm going to hang up now, i-if that's okay.”

 

“ **I really am sorry, it's my bad.** ”

 

“I-It really is okay.. b-bye...”

 

“ **Bye, Sana.** ”

 

Sana hung up, and she didn't even notice her hands were shaking until her phone fell out of her grip. Not this, she always hated it when this happened. She sat on the couch, trying her best to keep herself calm.

 

When Sana was 6, her mother had passed, and her dad fell into alcoholism, becoming a heavy drinker. While he never hit Sana or emotionally abused her, he started to neglect her completely, eventually leaving her when she was only 15. Sana's aunt lived in South Korea, so once her aunt got word that Sana was completely alone, she bought Sana a plane ticket to South Korea so she could live with her, Thing seemed fine with her aunt for a few months until her aunt became an alcoholic too. Things got so bad that Sana moved out, so now she lives in a house by herself.

 

Her phone screen lit up a text from Momo, who simply sent her a heart emoji. The Japanese girl just chuckled a bit, taking her phone and texting the girl back.

 

…

 

**CONVERSATION WITH: HIRAI MOMO**

 

**Sana: you can take Seulgi with you if you need a drinking partner**

 

**Momo: that's funny actually.**

 

**Momo: I'm at my usual spot**

 

**Momo: and I just saw Seulgi**

 

**Sana: oh**

 

**Momo: yeah**

 

**Momo: are you okay?**

 

**Sana: yeah, I'm okay.**

 

**Sana: go have fun!**

 

**Momo: thank you. I'm glad you're okay.**

 

\------------------------------

 

6:34 PM.

 

Momo was at one of her favorite spots that she occasionally uses to record some dance covers in. It was a park that happened to be on top of a hill, which gave a nice view of the city. Seulgi had shown up earlier, so that's where she's currently at.

 

“And..” Seulgi trailed off. “Oh. A-Anyways, are you... you know... going to record?”

 

“Something like that, juyes.” Momo replied.

 

“Okay... I-I'll get out of your way, then.” The Korean girl started to leave, but Momo stopped her in her tracks. “H-Hey, you're okay. I don't mind an audience.”

 

Seulgi blushed. “I-I see...”

 

“And after I'm done here, we can go out for drinks.” The dance teacher smiled. The Korean girl nodded. “S-Sounds good.”

\------------------------------

 

6:41 PM.

 

Sana was sitting on her couch, and her phone screen lit up to a picture sent by Momo. It was a selfie of the dance teacher and Seulgi, both still at the park. Minatozaki just smiled.

 

Momo and Seulgi. Sana's two best friends. She was so lucky to have met these two, and she cherished every moment with them.


	6. Lovesick Puppies

April 16th, 2018. 9:34 AM.

 

Mina woke up just like any day. Although, today wasn't any day, was it? It was quite a special day. She felt... excited. She really was going to spend her day with Yoo Jeongyeon, a complete wildcard to her. The Japanese girl got off her bed, and she thought about cooking, but then she quickly remembered that she didn't know how to cook. So, instead, she just opted to go get breakfast. She filled up Chichi's food bowl and called the dog over.

 

“Chichi! Come here!” Mina said. The female border collie dog with white and black fur quickly ran over and started to eat from her bowl, and Mina's phone rang. She picked up. “H-Hey, Wonpil.”

 

“ **You picked up quick! Anything happening today?** ” Wonpil asked.

 

“S-Sorry... totally forgot to tell you yesterday... I... I... uh... have a date, today.”

 

“ **Oh wow! With who?** ”

 

“Jeongyeon.”

 

Now that's a surprise.

 

“ **Interesting! What time?** ”

 

“2 pm... I think... w-we're... going to meet at... the... dog park.” The Japanese girl replied. “D-Do you want... to spend some time with me before my date...?”

 

“ **I would love to, but it's going to be a very busy day for DAY6.** ” The keyboardist sighed. “ **I'm sorry.** ”

 

“I-I... understand...”

 

“ **Tomorrow I'll be available, though!** ”

 

“T-That's... good to know...”

 

“ **I got to go now, bye Mina.** ”

 

“Bye..”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:40 AM.

 

The keyboardist sighed. He was at JYP entertainment, in a break room alone. Someone entered the room, and Wonpil looked at who it was. It was Jihyo, who went inside to get something from the fridge.

 

“Oh, hey.” Jihyo waved. “Wasn't expecting to see you he... eh?” The JYP trainee just facepalmed, realizing her mistake. In response, the keyboardist laughed. “You should be expecting to see me here! After all, we're both part of JYP!”

 

The girl just awkwardly chuckled, scratching her cheek. “Y-Yeah... I clearly didn't think before I spoke...”

 

The keyboardist got up from the couch he was sitting on, walking over to Jihyo.

 

“You're not training today, am I wrong?” He asked.

 

“Ah... yeah, no schedule today. I just wanted to come in to sing a couple of songs.”

 

“The booth?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“I get that.”

 

“I'm so excited for when it's for real.”

 

The band member just nodded, and Jihyo walked over to the fridge.

 

“Oh hey, did you know? Mina has a date today.” Wonpil said. Jihyo looked over at him. “With Jeongyeon, right?” The keyboardist was a bit surprised. “Oh?”

 

The JYP trainee walked away from the fridge. “Jeongyeon told me herself. It makes me happy, really. It lets me know that good progress is being made for Mina.”

 

“You really do care about her, huh.”

 

“Yes... I-I just wish she would let me get closer, that's all.”

 

“One day.”

 

“Yes, one day.”

 

Jihyo stood there in silence, and then a thought popped up in her head.

 

“I got a question for you, Wonpil.” The girl said, sitting at the table. “It's uh... a bit weird, but...”

 

“You know you can ask me anything.” He replied. “Go for it.”

 

The JYP trainee took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts completely.

 

“Have... you... um... ever felt... attracted to another guy?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Can't say I have, no,” Wonpil replied. “Why?”

 

“Oh... i-it's just sometimes... I find myself checking out other girls.” The JYP trainee replied. “B-But that's just normal, right? I-I mean, you can think other girls are attractive without it meaning anything.”

 

“I guess.”

 

“L-Like, I see a girl and think “oh she's so pretty!”. Y-You know, basic stuff like that!” But then again, Jihyo couldn't explain some OTHER thoughts she had about girls, that she can't quite say out loud. The keyboardist fell silent. “A-And I mean, yeah, some girls REALLY catch my eyes, but that's it!” The girl was very obviously panicking.

 

“Have you considered that possibility that you may not be 100% straight?” The keyboardist stated.

 

“u-uh... no...?”

 

“Then why are you panicking right now? And even if you weren't straight, that's not a bad thing, ya know?”

 

“I-I know... Dahyun's my best friend, and she's lesbian. I'm not homophobic by any means, I'm just... confused?” Jihyo sighed. “I'm probably just nervous because, hah... h-hey! Dahyun's going to move in next month!”

 

Well, bingo. Wonpil nodded. “I suppose that makes sense, with your sisters moving out.”

 

“Y-Yeah, and Dahyun and I have slept in the same bed before countless times!” The girl said with an obvious blush on her face.

 

“I can tell you're excited.” He replied.

 

“Y-Yeah... I really am! I look forward to seeing Dahyun next to me every morning!”

 

Wonpil looked at the clock. “Oh, I gotta go now.”

 

“So soon?” The girl pouted.

 

“You know Sungjin.”

 

“Ah! Okay, see you soon!”

 

“Yeah, see you.”

 

Wonpil exited the room, leaving Jihyo all by herself. The girl just sat down on the couch, and started to think about... well, everything. Like she had said earlier to Wonpil, she had been checking girls out. And then she realized, that she's always been doing it, and she just now caught herself doing that. It confused her a ton, but maybe it was a normal thing?

 

\------------------------------

 

12:31 PM.

 

Sana was just in her bedroom, readjusting a poster she had noticed got crooked. She wasn't alone, though, since Dahyun was there too, resting her head on the Japanese girl's desk. After readjusting her poster, Sana immediately grabbed a book from her shelf and slammed it on the desk.

 

“Wake up,” Sana remarked.

 

“Ahhh! Jeez! I wasn't asleep!” Dahyun whined.

 

“Looked like it.” The Japanese girl crossed her arms. “Did you really just come here to bother me and sleep on my desk?”

 

“N-No! I came to ask you something important!”

 

“It took you thirty minutes, and me asking you this question about fifty times, for you to just now tell me this.” The older girl replied. “Go ask your question, I'm going to be busy soon.”

 

“O-Oh... so... um... have you had a relationship before?” The blonde asked.

 

“Nope. Hmm.. interested?” Dahyun knew exactly what Sana meant by that.

 

“Not... what I meant...”

 

“Obviously. Can you please just spill it?”

 

“I-I mean... how do you get around to like... I dunno, romantic stuff. Kissing, and all that. A-And confessing.” The younger girl said.

 

“I don't know either of that stuff, you'd have better luck asking Nayeon.”

 

“I texted her earlier but she was busy!”

 

“Then, you're out of luck,” Minatozaki replied. “Well, not quite, actually. Just remembered I've had a couple of chats like this before with Nayeon.”

 

“Oh?”

 

Minatozaki looked away, blushing. “Y-Yeah... about feelings, and s-stuff... confessions, kissing, just the basics.”

 

Obviously, she wasn't going to mention that it was about Jihyo, of course.

 

“Can you help me out?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Well, when it comes to confessions... um... just do it when the time is right.”

 

“I already knew that... fine, kissing, then!”

 

Sana just fell silent. “That's hard to explain, hm.”

 

“What?”

 

“Maybe it's better if I just show you,” Minatozaki said.

 

“Show me?” The blonde asked.

 

“Yes, let me demonstrate with you,” Sana replied.

 

“W-Wait, l-like, kiss me!?” Dahyun panicked.

 

Sana stepped a bit closer, then she just smiled and started to laugh. “I'm messing with you!”

 

“O-Oh... of course, I-I knew that!”

 

“Real talk, though... don't overthink it, no tongue, and brush your teeth,” Sana said. “And, can you tell me why you're asking me such questions?”

 

“Oh... n-no reason...” Dahyun replied.

 

“Well, obviously it can't because of your crush for Jihyo, nope.” Minatozaki sarcastically said.

 

“Ssshhhh!” Dahyun panicked. “Don't say that out loud!”

 

“What are you on about? We're the only ones in this house!” The older girl replied.

 

More important, Dahyun was freaked out that Sana knew. The only people she's told about her feelings for Jihyo were Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon.

 

“H-How did you even know about my feelings for Jihyo!?” The blonde panicked more.

 

“You make it QUITE obvious,” Sana replied.

 

“H-HUUUHHH!?” Dahyun shouted obnoxiously, Minatozaki rolling her eyes in response. “I-I MAKE IT OBVIOUS!?”

 

“Can you not yell so loud.” The older girl replied. “Yes, you do.”

 

“T-Then... what if Jihyo already knows!?”

 

Sana just shrugged. “Jihyo's smart, but she's pretty dumb when it comes to love.”

 

“D-Don't say such a mean thing about Jihyo..” The pale girl replied.

 

“Have you seen harem animes?” The Japanese girl asked. “The main protagonist is usually clueless when it comes to knowing who has a crush on him. Jihyo's an anime harem protagonist, but as a girl.”

 

“T-That's... weird...”

 

Sana walked looked over at her clock. “Is that all you needed to talk to me about?”

 

“Waah... why are you so mean today...” Dahyun whined.

 

“I'm sorry.” Minatozaki sighed. “It's just been an off-day since I woke up.”

 

“Oh... that's sad to hear.”

 

“It'll get better. I have to go, though. Got to see Seulgi.”

 

“O-Okay, bye.”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:35 PM.

 

Over at school, it was time for a lunch break. Tzuyu and Chaeyoung had just opted to sit at the fountain, the shorter girl just looking at the fountain. They sat there in silence for a couple of moments, before Chaeyoung spoke up.

 

“I miss Dahyun,” Chaeyoung said. “When she used to be here at this school, you know?”

 

“You say that a lot,” Tzuyu replied. “And I agree, yes, but you say that a lot.”

 

There was just more silence as Chaeyoung took a strawberry out of the packet she was holding, and ate it. Tzuyu looked at the fountain, getting immersed into the sound of the water. But that didn't last so long.

 

“So, “Yoda”, anything exciting happening in your life?” Chaeyoung remarked.

 

“Oh my gosh.” Tzuyu groaned. “I'm going to throw myself in that fountain... Actually, on second thought, I'll throw your small, petite ass in there.”

 

“H-Hey!” The short girl yelled. “I can just as easily fight back! As a matter of fact, I can hit you right in the sensitive areas!”

 

“S-Stop that. I was only joking.”

 

“Well, still, keep what I said in mind!”

 

The Taiwanese girl fell silent. The orange-haired girl noticed something about this.

 

“What's wrong?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“I don't know.” The younger girl sighed. “I'm just thinking about, you know, all those things you say about Nayeon and me.”

 

“Oh... I'm sorry. B-But when I say that, I'm just messing with you, you know?”

 

“Of course... but... it does have me thinking.”

 

“Thinking? About?”

 

“... I dunno... like... my feelings and stuff.”

 

“Feelings? Abbooouuuttt?”

 

“Jeez, just thinking about my sexuality.”

 

The orange-haired girl raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

 

“I'm just getting confused, that's all.” Tzuyu denied. “How about your feelings, hmm?”

 

“H-Huh?” The older girl got flustered. “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, SURELY, you must be crushing on a boy or girl.”

 

Chaeyoung was blushing BIG TIME. “Um... there is this one boy I like..”

 

“Ohhh?”

 

“His.. his name is Kyungmin. A-And he's my age, too.”

 

“Then go! Ask him on a date, I'm sure it'd hit off well!”

 

“I dunno..” The Korean girl said. “He's just so cool looking.. would he really want to go on a date with a strawberry lover like me?”

 

“Oh, so you just like his looks?” The Taiwanese girl asked.

 

“No, not just his looks. I've talked to him a few times, and every single time he gave off such a friendly and approachable aura. I really do like him.”

 

“Then go girl, take your shot! Take your shot before it's too late!”

 

“S-Sure.. but another time. Before summer break.”

 

“I guess. You do you, Chae.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:28 PM.

 

Needless to say, the wait was AGONIZING for Mina. But, finally it was time, and she was finally at the dog park, and waiting for her was her date.

 

“Hey!” Jeongyeon said. “You're early!”

 

“y-you too...” Mina replied.

 

“Haha, so I am!” The older girl cleared her throat. “Have you gotten lunch?”

 

“N-Not yet..” The Japanese girl replied.

 

“Perfect. Then we can go to one of my favorite places.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:39 PM.

 

Took time, but the two girls were now seated at Jeongyeon's favorite restaurant, having already ordered. The older girl took a couple of seconds to collect her thoughts, then spoke up.

 

 “So... Mina, I'd like to get to know more about you,” Jeongyeon said. “After all, that's why I asked you out...”

 

“I-I see... w-w-what'd would... you like to know about... me?” Mina asked.

 

“I'm going to sound insensitive... but I really want to know..” The older girl sighed. “Where are your parents?”

 

The Japanese girl fell silent, and Jeongyeon mentally hit herself for asking. “S-Sorry... I shouldn't have asked...”

 

“N-No... i-i-it's okay... you... did say you wanted... to get to know more about me...” Mina said. “I-I'll tell... you...”

 

The younger girl took a few seconds to get herself together, then she spoke up. “My father died in an accident in 2013, and...w-well... I-I moved to South Korea 2015... and... I lost contact with my mother.”

 

“Oh... I'm so sorry.” Jeongyeon responded

 

“I-It's okay...” The Japanese girl sighed. “Is... t-t-there... anything else... y-you would like to know about... me?”

 

“Do you like to sing?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“Singing..? Like Jihyo? I-I don't know... I-I n-never really thought about it...”

 

“Oh... do you have a favorite type of movie?”

 

“Mostly... sad movies,” Mina replied. “I-It's... refreshing to just cry things out... every once in a while.”

 

Granted, Mina used to cry a lot when she first got to Korea. Even now she would cry to herself. But nobody else needed to know that.

 

“Well, for me, it's usually anime.” The older girl said. 

 

 “ₐₙᵢₘₑ'ₛ 𝒸ₒₒₗ”

 

“Hmm?” The older girl fell silent, thinking of something else to ask. “Do you like to go outside?”

 

“s-sometimes... t-there's a forest near my home... i-i like to go there... and just lie down and listen to the sounds of nature...” Mina replied.

 

“That sounds nice,” Jeongyeon commented.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:50 PM.

 

The two girls were now outside, and Jeongyeon was thinking of what to ask.

 

“w-where are... we going to go next?”

 

“Ah, there's a mall here, and it's very... er, special.” The older girl pondered for a bit. “You like aquariums?”

 

“Y-Yeah... sure...”

 

“Then come with me.”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:41 PM.

 

Nayeon just strolled along the park, occasionally stopping to take photos of a pretty sight she had noticed. Eventually, she noticed a very familiar girl. So, she picked up her pace and reached the girl.

 

“Hey there!” Nayeon said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.

 

“AAAAHHHHH!? W-W-WHAT THE F-FUCK?” The girl turned around, obviously shook. “N-Nayeon!?”

 

“Whoa! Seulgi, sorry!” The bunny girl bowed in apology. “Didn't think I'd scare you!”

 

Seulgi felt some panic, so she closed her eyes and started to take deep breaths. She had a mental sigh of relief as she felt the panic start to fade away. She was making great progress. “It's fine... just don't do that again, yeah?”

 

“Y-Yeah...”

 

Nayeon looked around. “Whatcha doing here?”

 

“Enjoying nature.”

 

“Well, duh.”

 

Seulgi had a bag on her waist, so she took it and searched through it. “I was gonna feed the ducks.” She pulled out a bag of bread.

 

“Wait, hold on.” The bunny girl interrupted. “You know you can't feed them bread, right?”

 

“Oh, I know.” The SM trainee replied.

 

“Then... why are you going to feed... them... bread...?”

 

“I just wanted to see if you knew this shit. Social experiment.”

 

“Are you just doing this to random people?”

 

Seulgi took a slice out and bit into it. “Mahybeh.”

 

“You're weird.”

 

“Thanksh.”

 

The bunny girl just now realized that she and Seulgi were quite literally right in front of the lake. Interesting.

 

“Mm, I got a question for ya,” Seulgi stated.

 

“Yes?” The photographer said.

 

“What's Tzuyu to you?”

 

“She's my best friend. Don't you know this already?”

 

“No, I mean... really.” The SM trainee fell silent.

 

Then, the bunny girl finally understood what Seulgi meant.

 

“Lemme just repeat myself. Tzuyu's JUST MY BEST FRIEND. GOT IT?” Nayeon stated.

 

“Yeah, yeah, sure...” The older girl replied. “Do best friends really have pet names?”

 

“Jihyo calls Dahyun dubu all the time!”

 

“But, they're childhood friends, it's different.”

 

“Oh my gosh.” Nayeon was getting heated. “Tzuyu and I have known each other for a long time too!”

 

“Jeez, you're getting heated.”

 

“No shit, sherlock!”

 

Seulgi just smirked in response. “Your reaction is telling me a lot, Im Nayeon! I gotcha!”

 

“Oh shut up!” The bunny girl rolled her eyes, and then noticed how... close Seulgi was to the edge of the lake. Well, this wouldn't be too bad.

 

In just the blink of an eye, Seulgi suddenly found herself in the lake. “AAHHH! WHAT THE FUCK!?”

 

“There! That'll teach ya!” The bunny girl replied.

 

“Gosh, you and Tzuyu are both overdramatic!” The older girl took herself out of the lake. “Do you even know how expensive this bag is? Actually, fuck the bag, it's not even worth that much! MY PHONE!?”

 

Seulgi took her phone out. “Oh, it's fine.”

 

The bunny girl just laughed. The SM trainee rolled her eyes. “I can sue you for this, you know?”

 

“I'd like to see you try.” The photographer smirked.

 

The older girl just looked ahead of Nayeon. “Mm, I think somebody wants to see you.”

 

“Huh?” The bunny girl turned around just to see Tzuyu approaching her. “A-Ah, Tzuyu?”

 

“H-Hey...” Tzuyu awkwardly said. “N-Nayeon and Seulgi...” The Taiwanese girl looked confused. “Hey, Seulgi, why are you wet?”

 

“Im Nayeon over here thought it would be funny to throw me into the lake,” Seulgi remarked. “I'm out. Have fun, lovebirds.”

 

“Shut up!” Nayeon and Tzuyu both said as Seulgi smirked, walking away. The two girls looked at each other, then away, blushing.

 

“H-Hey... what brings you here?” The photographer asked.

 

“Can I stay the night with you?” The younger girl immediately replied.

 

“A-Ah?” Nayeon was... shocked, to say the least. “S-So... brave... T-Tzuyu-ah.”

 

“I-I mean... J-Jihyo and Dahyun have sleepovers all the time, and y-you're my best friend, so...”

 

Then, Nayeon got her shit together. “Haven't you stayed the night before?”

 

“Uhhhh... y-yeah! O-O-Of course...” The Taiwanese girl trailed off. “Then it's no problem, right?”

 

“Y-Yeah, sure...”

 

The younger girl fell silent. “Um, actually... I'm not being a hundred percent honest with you.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“So... the reason I'm asking if I can stay with you... is because.. um... you know how I'm older now and everything... Well, um... my parents wanted to “test” me if that's the right word... a-anyways... They wanted to see if I could do well without them. So, basically... they kicked me out of the house.”

 

“WHAT!?”

 

“I-I mean, I agreed to it! I feel like I can do well without them!”

 

“And how long is this test?”

 

“Until the beginning of May.”

 

Nayeon just did a mental spit-take

 

“WHAT!!!???” The bunny girl screamed out.

 

“Can you be quiet!?” The younger girl lightly hit the older girl's shoulder. “People are gonna stare!”

 

“I-It's just... you sleepover for the night, then what?”

 

“oh.”

 

“You didn't think it through, Tzuyu-ah!?”

 

The Taiwanese girl fell silent. She supposes one option is to just ask to live with Nayeon for the time being. After all, she already has her stuff packed. And... Nayeon is her best friend, so there's nothing wrong with being roommates with your best friend, right?

 

“Can... can I be your roommate?” Tzuyu asked with a blush on her face.

 

“Yes, you idiot.” The bunny girl replied.

 

“H-Heeeyyyy! Don't be mean!”

 

The older girl walked over to Tzuyu, reaching her hand. “Come on.”

 

The Taiwanese girl blushed, allowing Nayeon to hold her hand. “Y-Yeah...”

 

\------------------------------

 

8:21 PM.

 

Earlier, Jeongyeon had text Jihyo and Dahyun to meet her at her house. And that's exactly what's going on.

 

Dahyun and Jihyo both met up at Jeongyeon's front porch, the JYP trainee knocking on her front door.

 

“How was your day, Dubu?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Fine, like usual!” The blonde replied.

 

The older girl smiled. “I'm glad to hear that.”

 

Jeongyeon opened the door, inviting the girls in. Quickly, Jeongyeon walked over to her kitchen.

 

“I got some things to talk to you two about,” Jeongyeon replied. “I hope you don't mind.”

 

“You're our best friend, of course, we don't mind,” Jihyo said.

 

“Thanks, captain obvious.” The older girl remarked, watching as the two childhood friends sat on the couch.

 

“Hey, did you two see that Momo got a huge paycheck from her dad?” Dahyun asked.

 

“On the group chat? Yeah, that's crazy.” The tall girl replied. “She's gonna be set for a while.”

 

“Her dad's moving away, right?” The JYP trainee asked.

 

“You haven't read it, Jihyo?”

 

“Ahh... I'm a very business today.”

 

“Very... business?”

 

“Shoot, I meant busy!”

 

The blonde just started to laugh. “Aww, you're so cute!”

 

Jeongyeon just smirked as Dahyun realized what she said, and the younger girl started to blush. Jihyo also found herself flustered. “A-Ahhh... t-thank you...”

 

“Lovesick puppies...” The tall girl said under her breath, then she cleared her throat. “Yeah, so Momo's father is moving away, so he gave her this, like, CRAZY HUGE paycheck as his parting gift.”

 

“Lucky Momo...” The idol-hopeful said.

 

“She really is luckkyyy!” The younger girl replied.

 

“As if we aren't rich...” Jeongyeon rolled her eyes.

 

“We're keeping it humble, ya!” The blonde yelled.

 

“Yah, Kim Dahyun!” The older girl yelled back. “Just shush!”

 

Jihyo was smiling, but then she realizes she had to come to her childhood friend's defense. “Yoo Jeongyeon, don't be so rude!”

 

“Ahh! It's two against one, no fair!” The tall girl pointed at them. “This is cheating!”

 

With that, the three girls shared a laugh, before it went quiet again. Jeongyeon walked over to the living room, sitting next to her best friends. “But yeah... let me talk about what happened today.”

 

Jeongyeon started to fiddle with her long hair, thinking about where to start. After a bit of second, she spoke up.

 

“So, as you two know, I went on a date with Mina,” Jeongyeon stated.

 

“Yes, you two are so cute!” The blonde said. Jihyo just pulled her closer, hugging her. “Mmhmm! But let Jeongyeon-unnie speak, please!”

 

“Thank you, Jihyo.” The older girl replied. “And... you know, I learned a lot about Mina. She almost smiled!”

 

“She did?” The JYP trainee asked.

 

“We were at the aquarium in that mall, and we started talking about what we liked, and what made us happy. Mina almost smiled when she started talking about, well, Chichi and Wonpil.”

 

“Aww...”

 

“As I said, I learned a lot about Mina. And... just... now more than ever, I want to protect her. I just want her to be happy. I want to see her smile, for real.”

 

“We all do, Jeongyeon,” Dahyun said.

 

“How about we make this one of our goals for this year?” Jihyo said. “From this moment forward, one of our main goals is to make Myoui Mina happy, and to see her smile!”

 

“Yes, I agree,” Jeongyeon said.

 

“Me too,” Dahyun replied.

 

“Good.”

 

Dahyun held a hand out, and the two girls just looked at her in confusion. “You know in the movies when they put their hands together and say like, teamwork and stuff?”

 

“You're such a loser,” Jeongyeon remarked.

 

“Mmeehh...” The blonde sat back. “Well... still. It's a promise.”

 

“Between all three of us,” Jihyo said.

 

Jeongyeon nodded.

 

“Let's keep this promise, shall we?”


	7. Feeling Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> owo what's this!? A new chapter!? And it didn't take five years to come out!?  
> Yes, I'm actually hoping to start updating more consistently!  
> Let's hope Chapter Eight doesn't take ten years to release!

April 17th, 2018. 6:21 AM.

 

After the most peaceful sleep she has had in forever, Nayeon woke up slowly. Normally, she would wake up facing the ceiling, but this time she was facing the wall at the other side of her bed. She wondered why at first until her eyes settled onto the person sleeping next to her. She had almost completely forgotten that Tzuyu was spending the next few days with her. The older girl needed to get up to prepare breakfast, but with how comfortable the two ended up, with Nayeon's arms wrapped around Tzuyu, any movement could wake up the younger girl.

 

“...Hey, um..” Nayeon fell silent. This was going to be difficult. “T-Tzuyu... it's time to wake up.”

 

The younger girl didn't respond, so this meant she was a deep sleeper. It made the bunny girl's situation a bit easier. She carefully maneuvered her way out of the bed, making sure not to wake the younger girl up abruptly. Once she was out of bed, she left her room and made her way to the kitchen. When she arrived, she yawned and stretched.

 

Cooking took a while, but it was worth it. She heard a door open, which meant Tzuyu was awake. Nayeon had almost everything set up on the table, just needed to put one more plate.

 

“W-Wow...” Tzuyu quietly said, but the bunny girl could hear her. “Good morning, Tzuyu.”

 

“U-Uh... y-yeah... good morning...” The Taiwanese girl replied.

 

“You woke up surprisingly easily.” The photographer observed.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I mean... you're a deep sleeper, no?”

 

“Yeah...? I'm confused?”

 

“Ah, forget it.”

 

Nayeon put the last plates on the table. “Well, let's enjoy our breakfast, shall we?”

 

\------------------------------

 

6:58 AM.

 

The two girls were in the living room, sitting on the couch. Tzuyu was just holding one of the pillows, while Nayeon was using her laptop, looking through her emails.

 

“Bunny?” Tzuyu said in a cute voice, which made Nayeon's heart skip a beat. “Um.. y-yes?” The bunny girl looked at her.

 

“I have a question for you...” The Taiwanese girl informed. “I-It's pretty serious...”

 

The photographer closed her laptop and turned to face the younger girl. “Oh?” Tzuyu sighed, looking away. “Um... so...”

 

Tzuyu was going to ask Nayeon about sexuality, and stuff, but every time she was going to get the word out, she choked. And Nayeon's just right there, so close, and her eyes are on her. She has this worried look on her face, but for Tzuyu... it was really cute. Nayeon's really cute. And beautiful. Oh so beautiful.

 

The Taiwanese girl caught herself thinking like this. But... she didn't hate it. Nayeon is beautiful.

 

“Tzuyu?” Nayeon said. “You're staring at me...”

 

“Sorry... I forgot what I was going to ask you.” Tzuyu replied. {I was too lost in your beauty}

 

The bunny girl looked away. The way Tzuyu was looking at her... let's just say she wouldn't mind if Tzuyu looked at her like that again. A blushing mess, the older girl opened her laptop again, going back to her emails. The student got off the couch.

 

“I have to get ready for school.” The Taiwanese girl said. The photographer looked at her. “Y-Yeah... go do that...” As the younger girl walked away from the living room, she just found herself thinking about Nayeon.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:28 AM.

 

One added benefit of now living with Nayeon is that Tzuyu has her own escort to school. The older girl stopped her car right in front of the school lot.

 

“Well, good luck with school,” Nayeon said.

 

“Yeah, thank you, Nayeon,” Tzuyu replied, getting off the car. “You'll be able to pick me up, right?”

 

“Of course. I don't have any photoshoots scheduled for today.”

 

“Thank you...”

 

Tzuyu walked towards the school, and Nayeon just sat there, watching as she left. The bunny girl drove away, but not before saying something to herself.

 

“I'm really about to become whipped for her, aren't I?”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:42 PM.

 

All-day, Nayeon was just in Tzuyu's mind. Her beautiful face, her cute bunny teeth, the warmness she exudes. Everything about Nayeon was great, it even felt amazing to just stroke her hair. And the bunny girl has allowed Tzuyu to do that on some occasions (mostly when they're watching a boring movie). But Tzuyu's thoughts started to trail off wholesomeness, as she started to think about the fact that... well, she and Nayeon were CUDDLING in bed. And just how good Nayeon's lips looked.

 

She wondered-

 

“If you find my yapping boring, at least tell me.”

 

A voice snapped Tzuyu out of her thoughts. “Huh?” Chaeyoung rolled her eyes. “What's going on in your head that's more interesting than this conversation?”

 

The Taiwanese girl was just staring at Chaeyoung like a deer in headlights. The orange-haired girl felt confused. “What's wrong, Tzuyu?”

 

“Um... nothing.” The younger girl got herself together. “Sorry.” The short girl raised an eyebrow. “No, really, what's wrong?” Tzuyu started to blush just at the thought of talking about Nayeon. Then, she remembered something.

 

ISN'T SHE SUPPOSED TO BE STRAIGHT?

 

“I'm screwed,” Tzuyu remarked.

 

“Huh?” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“Ahhh! It's nothing!” The Taiwanese girl mentally smacked herself, before actually gathering herself together. “What were you talking about?”

 

“I tried to ask Kyungmin out earlier today, but I wimped out.”

 

“That sucks.”

 

“Tell me about it.”

 

“Why did you wimp out?”

 

The orange-haired girl fell silent, just fiddling with her pack of strawberries. “I dunno. He looked at me as I was walking towards him, and like, my heart skipped a beat, so... I freaked and I went in the opposite direction.”

 

“Oh my...” Tzuyu facepalmed. “Well, now he definitely knows who you are.”

 

Not like you could forget a short girl with orange hair anyways. The girls' conversation dissipated, and once again, all that Tzuyu could think about was Nayeon.

 

She wasn't even sure if she was going to learn anything today.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:41 PM.

 

Sana was at a cafe, sipping some tea. On her phone, she was reading some articles about a kid being a hero and saving a child, bringing the child back to her family. Sana wondered what it was like to have an actual functional family life. She always enjoyed watching the family vlogs, seeing the kids happily talk to their parents. While she would usually smile at the kids having a good childhood, sometimes she would feel emotional, almost on the verge of tears.

 

At times, the girl considered looking for her father. If the man was still alive, that is. He must still be in Japan, so she could probably google his name and hope that he comes up. At the same time, if she looks for him, would it even go good? If she finds him, then what? He probably won't even recognize her.

 

Before she could delve even more into her depressive thoughts, a familiar voice interrupted her.

 

“Minatozaki-chaann!” The voice of Seulgi said. “It's good to see you!”

 

Sana almost spat out her tea, but luckily she managed to save herself from THAT embarrassment. She just put her cup down and looked at Seulgi.

 

“Hey.” Sana greeted, putting her phone in her pocket.

 

Seulgi sat down on the chair on the other side of the table. “How's your day been?”

 

“Fine, I guess...”

 

The SM trainee was just bored of today. Nothing really interesting is happening. Although, that's probably mostly due to her not actively doing something.

 

“That response is really boring.” The older girl remarked.

 

“That's my current mood,” Minatozaki remarked. “I've been spending all day just reading the same stuff, and watching the same boring videos I've already replayed countless times before.”

 

“Oh. That sounds... unfortunate.”

 

“Tell me about it.”

 

Seulgi fell silent, then she spoke up so suddenly. “I wanna watch a movie.”

 

“Go ahead,” Minatozaki replied, obviously dismissing the older girl. But Seulgi was not having this. “With you, dummy.” The Japanese girl raised an eyebrow at this, a small smirk forming. “Hmmm? Really now?”

 

“You're doing that thing again.” The Korean girl noted. “Seriously, stop doing that.”

 

“Jeez, I'm just trying to try something different,” Minatozaki replied. “Would you rather me be my gloomy, serious self all the time?”

 

“No offense, but isn't that actually you?”

 

“Oh, screw you.”

 

The SM trainee smiled. “I would love that.”

 

Minatozaki got up from her chair. “If this tea wasn't hot, it would be ALL over you right now!”

 

People started to stare, and Sana just smiled awkwardly. “Hii...” Seulgi grinned smugly at Sana, getting up. “I'll be taking my leave now, Minatozaki-chan. Movies at 3:25 PM. Don't be late.”

 

“But... I didn't say... yes...?” The Japanese girl quietly said as Seulgi exited the building.a

 

\------------------------------

 

4:56 PM.

 

After a stressful day at school, Chaeyoung returned home. She instantly went to her room, only saying hi to her parents. She needed to unwind and spend some time by herself. After an hour or so, Chaeyoung was fully relaxed. Which was on time, as Dahyun entered the room.

 

“Hey,” Dahyun said, throwing herself on her bed.

 

While the two girls share a room, they have separate beds. The orange-haired girl lied on her bed, covered by her blanket. The blonde noticed something was up.

 

“Chaeyoung, is something wrong?” The older girl asked.

 

“Today was just a bad day,” Chaeyoung replied. “I wimped out again!”

 

“Ohh... I'm sorry. That's hard to hear.” The 98 liner moved closer to her. “Will my hugs make you feel better?”

 

The orange-haired girl just shook her head. “I'm sorry... I just want to be left alone, if that's okay with you?” The blonde nodded. “Of course.” With that, Dahyun made her way out of the room. Chaeyoung's parents were already gone, so Dahyun just sat on the couch.

 

She started to remember all those times when SHE would try to ask Jihyo out. One of two things would ALWAYS happen: Dahyun would back off right before saying it, or Jihyo would misunderstand what she meant. With that, Dahyun realized that she really did have to confess her feelings upright, instead of trying to be subtle.

 

Oh god, just remembering all those conversations made her want to die from embarrassment.

 

**_“Jihyo-unnie, do you want to go out with me?”_ **

 

**_“Sure!”_ **

 

**_“R-Really?”_ **

 

**_“You're my best friend, of course, I want to go out with you!”_ **

 

**_“ooh.... y-yeah! We're going out as friends!”_ **

 

**_“How else would we go out?”_ **

 

Now that Dahyun thinks of it, Sana has a point.

 

A ring on her phone interrupted the 98 liner's thoughts. She grabbed her phone, and immediately answered the call once she saw the screen show a selfie of her and Jihyo.

 

“Hey, _kiyomi!_ ” The blonde said.

 

“ **A-Ahh... it's been a while since you called me that..** ” Jihyo was flustered.

 

“Do you like it?”

 

“ **Y-Yeah... u-um, anyways... I wanted to call because... do you want to go with me?** ”

 

“As friends, right?”

 

“ **Yup!** ”

 

Jihyo found herself confused as for why Dahyun always asks “as friends?”. What else could they got out as...?

 

“ **You're at Chae's, right? I can go over to get you!** ”

 

Dahyun thought about it. While she did want to spend time with her best friend, she was also concerned about Chaeyoung. Then, an idea popped up in her head.

 

“I have an idea,” Dahyun said. “Why don't you come over and spend some time with me and Chae?

 

“ **That could work,** ” Jihyo replied. “ **Oh! Should I bring some things over?** ”

 

“Maybe buy some strawberries from the store. Oh, and a charger for Chae's phone. Her charger broke.”

 

**“I'll go get some chocolate while I'm at it. Oh, and I suppose a bottle of chocolate milk for you, my dubu.** ” Jihyo cutely said.

 

The blonde nodded, but then she realized her best friend didn't see that. “Okay, see you soon then.”

 

“ **Yup!** ” The JYP trainee said, hanging up. The 98 liner just stared at her phone screen. She might as well go tell Mr. and Mrs. Son that there will be a guest over when they come back home.'

 

\------------------------------

 

Jeongyeon was at a river walk, skipping stones near the river. She didn't know what she was doing, but she was bored out of her mind, so she might as well do something entertaining. After a couple more minutes, she grew bored of that too. She went back over to her car, and just drove around the city for a little bit. After doing that, she went back home.

 

Much to say, it was a pretty boring day for Jeongyeon.

 

\------------------------------

 

April 23rd, 2018, 6:21 AM.

 

It was Chaeyoung's birthday. The orange-haired girl woke up, a little bit excited. She wondered what her parents and family had planned for her birthday. She got up from her bed but saw the blonde still sleeping on her bed.

 

“Oh, Dahyun.,” Chaeyoung whispered, silently leaving the room. The younger girl walked out and saw her mother making breakfast. “Hey, mom.” The girl greeted.

 

“Happy birthday, baby.” Her mother responded, hugging the orange-haired girl.

 

“Thank you, Mom.” The birthday girl replied, hugging her mother back. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too. Have fun at school!”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:05 AM.

 

The blonde girl was still asleep. Yesterday was a pretty eventful day, with her spending time with her brother, going all over Korea. This was a well-deserved rest. 

 

“Sweetie, it's time to wake up.” A very warm and loving voice said.

 

The girl started to stir, slowly opening her eyes. “Ji..hyo...” 

 

Wait, what!?

 

“J-JIHYO!?” Dahyun quickly readjusted herself to be sitting up, obviously shocked. 

 

“Chae's parents texted me and told me you were still asleep,” Jihyo said. “Since they were out at work, they needed someone trusted to cover it, so who else but me? Get up, sleepyhead.”

 

The younger girl fell silent, looking away. “I-It's kinda embarrassing you came to wake me up.” The JYP trainee reached for her friend's hand. “It's okay, Dubu, you know I don't mind.” The younger girl was still looking away, so Jihyo slowly moved her hand to be touching Dahyun's cheek. “Hey, look at me, Dubu.”

 

The younger girl faced her best friend. The older girl smiled warmly. “It's okay, Dahyun.”

 

“It's just... bad memories, you know?” The blonde replied. Jihyo wiped off a tear from Dahyun's cheek. “I understand. Me too.”

 

The older girl pulled her best friend into a warm hug. She wasn't going to let go, not until she knew everything was okay. Dahyun didn't mind.

 

Dahyun nuzzled Jihyo's neck, and the older girl felt her heart pounding fast, but she just ignored it. It was probably nothing, right?

 

\------------------------------

 

11:10 AM.

 

Dahyun released herself from their hug. Jihyo caressed her best friend's cheek, smiling warmly at her.

 

“You're okay now, right?” The older girl asked. The younger girl nodded. “Y-Yes... I am.”

 

The two girls just spent a couple of moments to look into each other's eyes. Jihyo started to admire Dahyun's beauty, and she felt her heart pounding fast again. Once more, she ignored it. The same thing was going on for Dahyun, who was admiring Jihyo's beauty. And although her heart was pounding fast, she just embraced it. Love, love, love. That's how she feels about Jihyo. Dahyun loves Jihyo.

 

Jihyo admires Dahyun, as her best friend.

 

“As you know... today's Chaeyoung's birthday,” Jihyo said. “So... we have a party to throw.”

 

The blonde immediately pouted. “Uwaaah... you heard what Chaeyoung said, right? She doesn't want some childish over the top party... she just wants a casual hang out!”

 

“No, I know. But we still need to get food, drinks, and a birthday cake!”

 

“Oh! When are you going to get the birthday cake from the bakery?”

 

Jihyo's eyes went wide after Dahyun said that. The 98 liner immediately knew what this meant.

 

“Y-You forgot to call it in!?” The blonde yelled.

 

“Ahhh! I got distracted, okay!?” The JYP trainee replied.

 

“You've been talking about ordering that cake all day, how can you suddenly forget!?”

 

“Yesterday was confusing!”

 

Dahyun shook her head. “We're so done for.”

 

“N-No worries, maybe I can get a bakery to make it on the clock!” The older girl started to scroll through her safari, but Dahyun sent a simple text into the group chat.

 

“Can one of you girls bake a cake?”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:13 AM.

 

Mina was just going on her normal day, this time she was spending time with Wonpil in the forest. They were sitting comfortably on the blanket Mina had set up. The girl was resting her head on Wonpil's lap, then her phone buzzed. Her phone was in Wonpil's pocket, per to her request.

 

“Who texted?” Mina asked.

 

The keyboardist took the phone of out his pocket and looked at it. “Your group chat, Dahyun texted about cake.”

 

“Mmm...” Mina closed her eyes. “What'd she say?”

 

“Can one of you girls bake a cake?” Wonpil asked.

 

The Japanese girl opened her eyes again, and slowly started sitting up. “Cake?” He nodded. “For Chaeyoung's birthday.” The girl looked down. She had completely forgotten about that. “R-Right...”

The keyboardist looked at her. “Hey, it's okay if you forgot, you know? You and Chaeyoung aren't that close compared to you with the others.”

 

“Y-Yeah... but f-f-from... n-now on, I'll make sure to remember...” The girl fell silent. “C-Can I tell you something?” The bandmate nodded, and Mina continued. “I-I can bake.”

 

“Wait, what?” Wonpil was taken aback. “How did I not know this?”

 

“It was just something I picked up this month.” The Japanese girl replied. “I was still learning, so I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want to promise you a cake and then bake it wrong and then be a disappointment-”

 

“You're fine.” The keyboardist stopped her.

 

She fell silent, taking deep breaths. “I-I'm sorry.”

 

“You don't need to apologize, it's okay.” The bandmate comforted.

 

 The Japanese girl just looked at him. Wonpil was so good to her, and at times she felt she didn't deserve his love. I mean, why should she? She is just a disappointment... A no-good disappointment... A waste of s-

 

“Mina, please.” Wonpil pleaded. “I-I can see it on your face... don't think so negatively about yourself.”

 

The Japanese girl started to tear up, her mom's words repeating in her word. “I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I-I'm such a f-f-fucking disappointment..”

 

“W-Whoa, hey, d-don't say that about yourself.” The keyboardist hugged the younger girl. “You're not a disappointment, okay? You're more than that, you're an amazing person who deserves the best, okay?”

 

Mina started crying into his shoulders. “I-I-I'm so sorry...

 

“It's okay... it's okay.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:20 AM.

 

Eventually, Mina had stopped crying but fell silent. The keyboardist didn't know what to say. He hated that Mina felt that way about herself. Mina means a lot to Wonpil, so for her to be like that.. it hurts him.

 

“i'm... sorry,” Mina repeated. “R-Really...”

 

“It's okay.” The keyboardist replied. The girl put her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. “You're okay, Mina. And please... it hurts so much to hear you call yourself a disappointment because you're not a disappointment.”

 

Mina opened her eyes and slowly moved away. “Um... I know what I can do.” He looked at her. “Yeah?”

 

The girl nodded. “I-I can bake Chaeyoung's birthday cake.” The keyboardist smiled at her. “Yeah, do that. That's good, Mina.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:42 AM

 

Mina called Jihyo and Dahyun over to her house. When the two girls arrived, they gave her the recipe for the specific cake Chaeyoung wanted. Wonpil stuck around with Mina, too.

 

“I didn't know you can bake a cake, Minari!” Dahyun childishly said.

 

“M-Minari...?” Mina stuttered.

 

“Everything in our little circle has a nickname except for you, Mina,” Jihyo informed.

 

“I-Is that right..” The Japanese girl replied. “Y-You know... I-I like.. p-penguins...”

 

“Yeah, I can confirm that.” The keyboardist responded.

 

“Oooh, so that explains Wonpil's gift for your last birthday.” The blonde observed. “Would you like Minari or Penguinie!”

 

The Japanese girl started to blush, in turn, the keyboardist smiled. “Would you like me to call you Penguinie?”

 

“H-Huh?!” Mina said, a little too loud for her liking. “'M-Mina's just f-f-fine!”

 

Mina buried her face with her oven mitts. “S-Stopitplease.” Luckily for her, she hadn't put the cake in the oven yet, so her mitts were still perfectly cool. Wonpil liked seeing this new side of Mina. As of lately, Mina started to express more emotions with him, mostly smiling and laughing (although the smiles were small, and her laughs were short, but he still cherished them all the same), but he had never seen her get so flustered. It really did make him feel happy to see Mina show improvement with her feelings.

 

The JYP trainee looked at her phone. “Okay, so, no rush, but don't take long to make the cake, because Chaeyoung's birthday party will be in a couple of hours.”

 

“Y-Yeah.” The Japanese girl said, moving her oven mitts away from her face. “I-I have a dog.”

 

“Oh, we know,” Jihyo replied.

 

“Woowwiiieiee! Where's the cutie at!?” Dahyun said, stars in her eyes.

 

Mina's blush refused to go away. “S-she's outside. I-I can call her, i-if you w-want.” The blonde continued acting like the mess she was. “I wanna see the wittle puppyyyy!” Jihyo rolled her eyes. “Dubu, I think we've all got enough of that,” Dahyun whined. “You're such a bullyyy!” The blonde coughed. “Yeah, sorry...”

 

“That was weird,” Wonpil commented. “Never seen you two act like that.”

 

“Jihyo forgot the cake.” The blonde replied. “I'm not very happy with her for that.”

 

“You could have ordered the cake too, ya know?!” The older girl replied. “You're legally an adult!”

 

“You're bickering like an old married couple.” The keyboardist remarked. With that, the two childhood friends fell silent, and they both started to blush.

 

“A-Ahhh... d-don't say that,” Dahyun replied.

 

“Y-Yeah...” The JYP trainee said.

 

“You two basically are an old married couple though, with how long you've been together.” He said once more.

 

Jihyo just pulled Dahyun closer to her. “Mmm... I guess in a way, we are! And we forgive each other easily too!”

 

“Not like I was actually mad at you, _kiyomi_!” Dahyun nuzzled Jihyo's neck. The older girl smiled, ignoring the loud pounding of her heart.

 

During the three's conversation, Mina placed the cake into the oven and started the kitchen timer. “G-Give it a couple of minutes...” The JYP trainee nodded. “You're doing a good thing, Mina.”

 

 “We'll see you at the party, too, right Wonpil?” The blonde asked. “Ah, why am I even asking? Of course, you'll be there!”

 

“W-Well, yeah... I-I am part of this circle, a-after all...” Wonpil was a bit hurt. Dahyun noticed this. “Sorry... i-i just don't know if you were going to be busy around this time.”

 

“I'm not going to be busy... I-I can bring DAY6 with me if you'd like.” He replied.

 

“Oh, is that too much of a bother?” Jihyo asked.

 

“No, we're all friends, after all. Friends can never be a bother.” The keyboardist responded. The JYP trainee nodded, then she looked over to Mina. “Dahyun and I are gonna go out, would you like to come?”

 

The Japanese girl looked away. “I-I should... p-probably stay here... for the cake...”

 

“I-I mean... you know how long it'll take to bake right? We can bring you back before it's done.” Jihyo said.

 

“N-No... it's okay... I-I-I'll... just be in your way.” Mina replied.

 

The two childhood friends looked at each other and had a moment of thought. The two girls eventually decided that it's best to leave Mina alone, then. “Okay, then. We'll see you two at the party?” The keyboardist nodded and walked over to the Japanese girl. The two childhood friends left the house.

 

“Are you feeling okay, Mina?” The keyboardist asked. The girl looked at the oven. “I-I'm fine... l-let's sit... yeah?”

 

\------------------------------

 

12:01 PM.

 

After what seemed like a long drive, Jihyo and Dahyun arrived at Jihyo's house. The blonde was taken a bit aback since she assumed they would go out to the park or something.

 

“Hey, what are we doing here?” Dahyun asked. “N-Not that I have a problem with this, I'm just... a bit confused.”

 

“Oh, y'know, I just wanted to spend some time with you here,” Jihyo replied. “Get you adjusted to being here before you move in.”

 

The blonde didn't know what to think. She always appreciated Jihyo's bravery, and jump to action. The JYP trainee was never one to let things slip by her, she wanted to live life to it's fullest. And that's one of the main reasons why Dahyun loves her so much.

 

“U-Uh, yeah, okay,” Dahyun replied.

 

The older girl smiled at her best friend. Jihyo always loved Dahyun's company. At the end of a rough day, she would smile knowing she had her best friend waiting for her. She will always smile, as long as Dahyun is with her.

 

“Okay, then.” Jihyo unlocking the door. “My sisters aren't here today.”

 

“That I can see,” Dahyun replied, entering the house. The older girl followed and locked the door. “Make yourself comfortable,” Jihyo added. The older girl went into her room, but the younger girl stayed behind to look at the fridge.

 

Jihyo's room was medium-sized. The door to enter was on the left side of the room, on the left wall was a desk, on which Jihyo's high-quality laptop was resting on. Her bed was in the middle, against the back wall. In the front wall was an entertainment center, which had a T.V on top of it, along with five shelves, one shelf having a glossy red PS4 in it, along with two PS4 controllers, one purple and one pink.

 

To the left of her entertainment center was a door to her closet, and to the right was a door to the bathroom. She had a master bedroom. Next to her bed were two bedstands, one having a small lamp on it. The girl sat on her chair in front of her desk and turned her laptop. Before Jihyo's laptop could fully boot up though, Dahyun walked in.

 

“You don't have chocolate milk,” Dahyun commented, sitting on Jihyo's bed.

 

“I know, I'm sorry,” Jihyo replied, watching her laptop as it arrived at the lock screen. The blonde looked at Jihyo's laptop in curiosity, observing as Jihyo opened her file explorer. “Ooh, have you written any cool stories?”

 

The older girl turned around to face her best friend. “Nothing really. I've just written a few song drafts.” Suddenly, the blonde's eyes shined with excitement. “You've written songs? Oh my gosh, that's so COOL!”

 

Jihyo smiled, then spoke up. “Just some rough drafts.” The older girl turned around and opened her songs folder.

 

“How many songs have you written?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Just five.” The JYP trainee replied. “Um, there's one song I want to write really well, it's called Sunset.”

 

“Oh?” The blonde asked. “Sunset?”

 

“Yeah, because I really like watching the sunset... I've written a little bit of it, but I just can't quite get it to my liking.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I dunno, I read the lyrics, but there's something missing. I can't seem to tell what it is, I know for a fact that something's missing.”

 

“Hmm. I'm sorry.” Dahyun replied.

 

Jihyo just sighed. “No, it's okay. I'll get back to Sunset soon, but right now, I'll just focus on another song.” The older girl closed her laptop. “As I said, make yourself comfortable, I'm going to run to the grocery store very quick.”

 

The younger girl lied down on the bed and watched as Jihyo left the bedroom.

 

The blonde thought about a lot of things, but mostly about her feelings for Jihyo. Getting to live with the woman she loves... this was stuff that Dahyun only dreamt of! To see this dream become a reality... it was amazing! 

 

She has spent the night with Jihyo before, and she does recall staying over at Jihyo's for a week. But with her feelings now... it's definitely different. Especially, not to be repetitive, but Dahyun's really excited that she needs to repeat it to herself, especially considering that she's going to be LIVING with Jihyo! For quite possibly the next few years!

 

Now that definitely sounds like a future to look forward to!


	8. Thanks So Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Party time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >_< i wanted this chapter to come out a bit earlier. Oh well, can't win them all, right? At least it's out! And it didn't take forever!

April 23rd, 2018. 7:31 PM.

 

After spending a good amount of time with her parents, Chaeyoung was left alone at her house, while her parents went out for the time being. She waited, and then there was a knock on the door. To no surprise, waiting behind the door was Tzuyu and Nayeon.

 

“Oh, hey, the girlfriends,” Chaeyoung remarked, stepping out of their way. “Come in.”

 

Tzuyu was ready to make a remark, but Nayeon gripped her wrist and basically dragged her in the house. The older girl didn't feel like putting up with this right now. “We're not dating.”

 

The orange-haired girl just smirked. “Mmhmm, sure.” The maknae rolled her eyes in annoyance.

 

The birthday girl closed the door. “So, uh, I know you gals got that whole birthday group chat, so who's coming next?”

 

Nayeon looked at Tzuyu. “First, did you bring our gift?” Tzuyu nodded, pulling out a small box from her pocket. “Open it right now or later, it's... not that big of a deal.”

 

The orange-haired girl looked at the cutely wrapped box and smiled. “I'll open it when everyone's here, thanks.”

 

The two girls went over to the living room, while the strawberry lover set the box on the kitchen table.

 

“Oh, yeah, happy birthday, Chaeyoung.” The bunny girl said. “Sorry, almost forgot to say that.”

 

The birthday girl just smiled. “As long as you said it, then it's okay.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:34 PM.

 

Back at Mina's house, the cake had finished baking and cooling a while ago, and was already packed up. The Japanese girl had a resurgence of her severe anxiety, so the keyboardist choose to stay with her until she felt better. Even after she calmed down, he decided to wait until she felt 100% sure she was ready to go. Now, she was. They were both sitting on the couch, the two were cuddling.

 

Mina looked at her phone... “It's so late... b-but... let's go... I don't want to be any later.”

 

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” Wonpil replied, getting off the couch. His phone vibrated, so he looked at it.

 

“ **Yo yo! We're all at JYP, where you at?** ” The text sent by Jae read. Wonpil just stared at the screen, before immediately texting back. “I'm with Mina, why?”

 

His bandmate texted back fast. “ **K, have fun!** ” Wonpil was a bit confused, but he texted back something special. “Hey, we're going to a party, do you think you and the other members would like to come?”

 

Jae texted back immediately. “ **Ah, is it for the strawberry girl? I've meaning to talk to her for a while, so I'll go ask the others!”**

 

Wonpil smiled and texted back. “We'll drop by JYP to get you guys.”

 

The Japanese girl looked at him. “Hey, what's up?”

 

“DAY6 is coming. Without a doubt.” He informed.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:45 PM.

 

Some more time had passed, and almost everyone was at Chaeyoung's house, save for Wonpil and Mina. While they waited for Mina and Wonpil to arrive, the girl found themselves separated across the house. Jihyo and Dahyun were at the backyard, along with Seulgi and Sana.

 

Seulgi was sitting on the swingset, casually swinging. Sana was just standing on the porch, while DaHyo were both just... standing on the courtyard like weirdos, but they were talking to Seulgi, so it was fine.

 

“Oh! By the way... training is going great over at SM!” Seulgi informed the two.

 

“Really? I've said it before, but I really am proud of you!” Jihyo replied.

 

“Y-Yeah... t-thank you, that means a lot.” The SM trainee blushed.

 

“Hey, has anyone ever told you that you'd fit in perfectly with Red Velvet?” Dahyun said with a smirk.

 

“Ugghhh....” The eldest girl rolled her eyes. “How many times do I have to repeat myself? I don't see it.” She looked up at the sky. “It's getting really dark... are we sure Mina's going to come? I-I don't want to doubt her, but...”

 

The JYP trainee frowned. “Yeah... I understand. I'm going to go check in with Chaeyoung.” The blonde looked at her best friend. “I'll come with.”

 

Jihyo just nodded. “Okay, let's go.” The older girl took the lead, while Dahyun followed behind. She could've sworn she heard Seulgi whisper “bottom” under her breath, but she chose to ignore it. After entering the house, the two girls approached Chaeyoung, who was at the kitchen.

 

“Hey, have you gotten a text from Minari at all, Chae?” Dahyun asked.

 

The orange-haired girl sighed. “Nothing.” The JYP trainee looked down. “I'm sorry.” The younger girl just waved her hand, dismissing it. “It's fine. We can always celebrate without a cake-”

 

There was a knock on the door, and the birthday girl, with a quick pace, walked over to the front door and opened it. She was pleasantly surprised with who was waiting behind it.

 

“Is it too late to Knock Knock?” Jae of DAY6 said.

 

“Oh, hey! It's been a while!” The orange-haired girl said, hugging the bandmembers. “How's it been?”

 

“It's been good, you know, the usual. Hey, happy birthday!” He replied.

 

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.” She looked behind the blonde boy. “Aww, you brought everyone!”

 

“Well, of course, you're our friend, after all!” Jae replied.

 

Chaeyoung took a step back, allowing the rest of DAY6 in. Well, just Jae, Sungjin, Dowoon, and Younghyun. Wonpil wasn't anywhere to be seen.

 

Over at the living room, sitting on the couches were Nayeon, Tzuyu, Momo, and Jeongyeon. The bunny girl diverted her attention from her phone to look at DAY6. “You know, sometimes it hits me that... we're friends with DAY6.”

 

“Mmhmm,” Jeongyeon replied.

 

Dowoon and Younghyun went over to the living room to start chatting with the girls, while Jae chatted with Chaeyoung. Sungjin was hanging around the front door, in which Jihyo noticed.

 

“Hey there, sunbae.” Jihyo bowed. “Ahh... where's Wonpil and Mina?”

 

“They should be coming soon,” Sungjin replied. “But, we'll see.”

 

“We'll see, huh...” The JYP trainee fell silent. “Is it happening again? With Mina?”

 

“We tried to keep her calm during the drive, but it got really bad. Wonpil told us to go ahead, but I really didn't want to leave her. He insisted though, so... I had no choice, did I?” The leader fell silent.

 

“Don't feel bad, okay? And... if there's anyone you can trust to help Mina, it's definitely Wonpil!” The girl replied.

 

The front door opened, and in came Wonpil, Mina right behind him. The two were holding hands, but nobody was going to comment on that.

 

“Hey! It's good to see you two!” Jihyo greeted.

 

“Hey, it's good to see you two,” Wonpil replied.

 

Mina was holding a bag in her other hand, and Jihyo could just make out the Japanese girl whispering something to the keyboardist. The two let go, and Mina set the bag on the table.

 

“I-I brought... the cake...” Mina commented.

 

“Thank you, Minari.” Jihyo smiled at her. The Japanese girl returned to Wonpil and started talking to him about something. Chaeyoung turned around just to watch as Mina and Wonpil exited to the backyard.

 

“Whoa, when did they come?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“Just right now. Mina brought your cake, by the way.” The JYP trainee replied.

 

“Ah, should I go thank her?” The orange-haired girl said. Sungjin just waved his hand. “I got it covered, don't worry about it.”

 

As Jihyo made her way to the backdoor, Sana, Seulgi, and Dahyun opened it.

 

“Ah, what's going on?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Mina said she needs a moment to herself, uh, and with Wonpil,” Seulgi replied. “I get it.”

 

“So, it's probably for the best if you leave them be, yeah?” Sana said, walking to the living room. “Oh, it's DAY6.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:51 PM.

 

People have mostly gone to different places in the house, but Tzuyu and Nayeon were still sitting on the couches in the living room. The bunny girl was just using her phone, while the Taiwanese girl found herself just... staring at Nayeon, admiring her beauty. The older girl laughed at something funny, which made Tzuyu's heart jump. The older girl motioned for Tzuyu to come closer, and they just started to talk about... well, whatever they liked.

 

Yes, Tzuyu thought Nayeon was beautiful. But what she really admired about Nayeon was, well, Nayeon. Her personality... it's probably the most beautiful thing about her. The bunny girl put her head on Tzuyu's shoulder, and the younger girl found her heart pounding fast.

 

Why is she like this with Nayeon? It confused Tzuyu to no end.

 

The answer is easy, really. She just needs to accept it.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:10 PM.

 

More movement around the house and Tzuyu found herself at the kitchen. Chaeyoung was texting somebody, which caught the younger girl's attention.

 

“Hey, who are you texting?” The Taiwanese girl asked.

 

“Oh, shoot, did I forget to tell you?” Chaeyoung looked at the girl. “Y-You know my crush, Kyungmin? Yeah... he gave me his number.”

 

“Wow! That's... wow, I'm so happy for you!” Tzuyu replied.

 

“I know, this means a lot!” The orange-haired girl said. “I'm really looking forward to what's going to happen next with him!”

 

\------------------------------

 

8:20 PM.

 

Jihyo went outside, just to see Mina and Wonpil hugging.

 

“Hey there...” Jihyo said. The Japanese girl pulled away from their hug to face the JYP trainee. “H-Hi... s-sorry I haven't been inside...”

 

“Ah, don't worry about that, it's okay.” The older girl replied. “We all understand.”

 

“T-Thank you...” Mina looked at Wonpil. “L-Let's go inside.”

 

“Alright.” The keyboardist and the Japanese girl entered the house, while Jihyo just thought about it. Wonpil really means a lot to Mina, and she means a lot to him. They're so very close with each other.

 

“If anyone is going to see Mina smile first, it's definitely him,” Jihyo said quietly to herself. “Wait, why am I talking to myself?” She just fell silent, then went back inside the house.

 

\------------------------------

 

“ ** _Thank you for being with me throughout everything... thank you for helping me... a-and most importantly, thank you for... being you._** ”

 

That was what Mina told Wonpil during their time together today.

 

\------------------------------

 

11:31 PM.

 

The party was wrapped up, and mostly everyone had left, save for Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Jihyo, Mina, and Wonpil. The Japanese girl put the container the cake was in back in the bag, and she walked over to Wonpil. Chaeyoung just approached her.

 

“Hey, thanks for the cake, Mina. I really appreciate it.” Chaeyoung said.

 

“O-oh... y-you're welcome...” Mina replied. The Japanese girl said something to Wonpil that Chaeyoung couldn't quite understand, but the keyboardist knew it all too well. “Hey, it's been fun spending time together with all of you. Happy birthday, Chaeyoung. Mina and I are going to go now.”

 

The Japanese girl said goodbye to everyone else and then exited the house. Wonpil followed quickly after, leaving just the three girls by themselves. Jihyo looked at her childhood friend.

 

“It's time for me to go too, it seems,” Jihyo said.

 

“Aww... don't leave meeee!” Dahyun pouted.

 

“Hey, don't be sad, Dubu. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?” The JYP trainee said.

 

“Y-Yeah...”

 

The JYP trainee looked at the blonde and thought of something. They're childhood friends, so what she's going to do next shouldn't be a big deal. Jihyo gently placed a kiss on Dahyun's cheek. Immediately the younger girl started to blush.

 

“W-What was that about?” Dahyun asked.

 

Jihyo just smiled. “I hope you don't mind. It's kind of something I want to start doing from now on.”

 

The orange-haired girl was just staring attentively, obviously enjoying this very gay interaction. Jihyo walked over and grabbed her purse, and waved bye to the two younger girls before exiting the house. The blonde sat down on the living room couch and immediately covered her face with a pillow.

 

“Huh. How interesting.” Chaeyoung remarked, sitting down next to Dahyun. “How very very interesting. What's your verdict, hm?”

 

“U-Um... w-we are childhood friends, a-after all...” The blonde replied.

 

“Oh my gosh, seriously!?” The orange-haired girl got frustrated. “We did experience the same thing, right!? She KISSED you, for crying out loud!”

 

“I-It was a kiss on the cheek, jeez!” The 98 liner replied.

 

“This is the same girl that wants you to live with her! To sleep in the same bed with her!?”

 

“But that's normal for a childhood friend-” Dahyun got cut off.

 

“I thought that too, but this kiss... come on!” Chaeyoung replied. “She has feelings for you!”

 

Dahyun shook her head. There's no way this means that Jihyo has feelings for her. It just can't. It can't be this easy. Life can't be this easy. She knows Jihyo best, this was just her being her because they're childhood friends.

 

“Stop, okay? Jihyo likes men, and that's that!” Dahyun replied.

 

The orange-haired girl shook her head, and just got off from the couch. “Fine. Whatever, then.” She stormed off into the bedroom. The blonde fell silent, closing her eyes.

 

\------------------------------

April 24th, 2018. 11:18 AM

 

Jihyo was at JYP studios, inside one of the practice rooms. Usually, when she would go there, she would start practicing a choreography, but.. she felt weird. She's just been staring at herself in one of the mirrors for what seemed like an eternity. The JYP trainee was trapped in thought. She's been intimate with Dahyun before, but when she kissed her best friend on the cheek, something felt different.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 23_ ** **_rd_ ** **_, 2018. 11:35 PM._ **

 

**_Jihyo exited the house and walked the path to her car. Once she stopped in front of her car, she turned around to face the house. After kissing Dahyun on the cheek, for some reason, her heart couldn't stop beating fast. She didn't know why, and at first she assumed it was something she ate... but... it seemed to be completely different from that. She tried to ignore it by thinking of other stuff, but her mind would always trail back to kissing Dahyun._ **

 

**_The more she thought about it, the louder her heartbeat got. She felt like a fool, why was she feeling like this? It was just a friendly gesture like the other usual things she would always do with Dahyun, so WHY was this different? Thoughts kept on rushing through her head, trying to find an explanation, anything to make this make sense._ **

 

**_She thinks about all those times recently when Dahyun would nuzzle her neck. How she feels now, is how she felt back then, but times two. Dahyun has always made her feel this way. And then... her mind settled on one word._ **

 

**_“Love”_ **

 

**_But... that couldn't be it, right? After all, she never thought of Dahyun in a romantic way, so why? Why now? They've been friends for twenty years, she can't afford to feel in a way that could completely ruin their friendship. Maybe she's just confused, because she never kissed someone, even if it was a kiss on the cheek. She liked men, and that was the simple truth..._ **

 

**_But was it really?_ **

 

\------------------------------

 

April 24th, 2018. 11:20 AM

 

She threw herself on the couch and closed her eyes. She kept on telling herself to stop being ridiculous, she just got confused by the kiss. But.. even still, when she would go back and think about the kiss, her heart would still persist in beating loudly. Why? Why was everything betraying her now? Dahyun is just her best friend, the only person who means the world to her., the only person that Jihyo would do anything for. She's just simply... her... best friend?

 

She opened her eyes and sat up. As if fate were against her, the door knocked.

 

“U-Um, it's occupied!” Jihyo called out, wanting to the person to leave immediately.

 

“Ah, Jihyo, it's me!” The voice of Dahyun called out.

 

The older girl stared at the door. No no NO! WHY!? She couldn't face her, not until she's gotten everything together.

 

“Ahhhh... Dubu, it's not a good time right now! I-I'll get back to you later, okay?” Jihyo said.

 

“Oh, okay,” Dahyun replied. “You sure?”

 

“Y-Yeah, I'll be fine.” The older girl replied.

 

“Okay...” The blonde said, and Jihyo could hear her footsteps fading out.

 

\------------------------------

 

1:59 PM.

 

Jihyo spent much longer than she would like to admit to collect her thoughts. She thought about a lot of things, mostly her true feelings. While she's claimed that she only likes guys, she's noticed multiple contradiction in that statement. Like she talked to Wonpil about, she's been checking out girls, and has even thought about dating them?? like, she saw a really pretty girl, and she thought about asking her out??? and even kissing a girl???

 

Much to say, kissing Dahyun hit Jihyo with the truth: She's bisexual. She felt stupid for denying it for so long, but here it was. It felt freeing, to finally figure this all out.

 

But even then, she can't explain the way she felt after she kissed Dahyun

 

She first just tried to pin it on her discovering her bisexuality, but that didn't feel complete, she felt like there was still something missing. Something she couldn't find, or more like, something she just didn't want to admit. Nonetheless, she decided to leave it on hold for the time being and called her childhood friend.

 

“ **H-Hey, are you okay now?** ” Dahyun asked right away after answering.

 

“Yeah... do you want to meet up?” Jihyo asked back.

 

“ **Y-Yeah... I'm at the park right now.”** The blonde sounded a bit gloomy, which the older girl noted.

 

“Dahyun, what's wrong?”

 

“ **Chaeyoung and I had a little argument last night. I'm feeling sad.** ”

 

“Oh, I'm so sorry. Will being with your Jihyo-unnie make things feel better?”

 

“ **O-Of course... you're my best friend.** ”

 

“I'll be right there.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:11 PM.

 

Jihyo arrived at the park and followed Dahyun's directions to find her sitting on a bench, using her phone.

 

“Hey, Dubu,” Jihyo said, sitting next to her childhood friend. “Are you okay?”

 

“I'm okay, I just don't know if Chaeyoung is... I-I've been meaning to text her, but I get too scared to...” Dahyun replied.

 

“You've had arguments before, right? It's never been this bad...” The JYP trainee observed.

 

“It's just... it was a kinda serious topic, that's all. But... it's okay, really. I-I'll just... wait to text her, I guess.” The younger girl fell silent.

 

Jihyo started to fiddle with her thumbs, thinking to herself. Then, she took a deep breath. “Dahyun, I need to tell you something. It's really important.”

 

The older girl repositioned herself to be looking at Dahyun, and the younger girl did the same. “Jihyo, what is it?”

 

The JYP trainee sighed as she rested her hands on her childhood friend's, who adjusted her hands so they could be holding hands together. The two girls kept eye contact.

 

“Wow... t-this seems very familiar.” Jihyo lightly laughed.

 

“Yeah... it does...” Dahyun replied, nervous.

 

“Um... I don't how to phrase this, o-or say it without it being awkward...” The older girl was quiet. “Ah... it'll be awkward either way... Dahyun, I'm bisexual.”

 

The blonde just fell silent, looking away for a split second, but she immediately returned eye contact. Jihyo felt nervous, but, this is her childhood friend after all. The person she cares for the most in all of her life.

 

“I kinda figured.” Dahyun jokingly remarked.

 

“H-Huhhh?! How can you know something about me that I wouldn't know myself!?” Jihyo replied with a smile.

 

“I am gay, after all! It makes sense that I would be able to detect someone like me!”

 

The older girl giggled. “Half gay.”

 

The younger girl tilted her head slightly. “Eh, as long as you got some gay, I'll be able to detect it!”

  


Jihyo smiled at Dahyun. “Thank you.”

 

The blonde looked at her with a smile. “You accepted me so fast when I came out to you. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't do the same for you?”

 

The JYP trainee pulled her best friend into a hug, holding her tightly. Gosh, Jihyo is so lucky to have such an amazing person like Dahyun as her best friend. She looked forward to when Dahyun moved in because she knew her days would be brighter with the blonde there in every waking moment. Park Jihyo really appreciated Kim Dahyun.

 

\------------------------------

 

April 28th, 2018. 9:41 AM.

 

At a cafe, was Wonpil. He was waiting for Mina, who he invited over. Today is his birthday, so he's looking forward to spending it with Mina. He was keeping watch over the front door, waiting for his favorite girl to arrive. In perfect timing, he saw Mina enter the building. She noticed him and quickly walked over to his table.

 

“Hey, Mina.” The keyboardist smiled at her. The girl took a seat in front of him. “Happy birthday, Wonpil.”

 

“Thank you.” He replied.

 

The Japanese girl thought of words to say, then she spoke up. “Are you... planning on having... a party or... something like that, yeah...”

 

“Not quite a party, but a friendly get together. I'm just... not sure where.” Wonpil fell silent, in thought.

 

“We... could have the get together at my house.” Mina offered.

 

“Oh, no, you don't have to. It's okay, really.” The keyboardist replied.

 

“A-Are you sure...? I-I want the best for you...”

 

The keyboardist started to think about it. “Yeah, sure. If you're okay with it.”

 

“Y-Yes... I-I'll even make you a cake!”

 

“Thank you, Minari, I really appreciate it,” Wonpil said.

 

Mina blushed. “Y-You're welcome...”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:01 AM

 

Nayeon woke up, and to her surprise, Tzuyu was still in bed, cuddling with her. She had almost forgotten that it was a weekend today, which would mean that the younger girl wouldn't need to attend school. The bunny girl sighed and shook her roommate. “Hey, it's time to wake up.” No response. She let out a groan and got off from the bed as fast and as abrupt was possible.

 

The younger girl immediately woke up, letting out a loud yell. “W-What the hell?!” The bunny girl giggled. “Like I said, it's time to wake up.”

 

The Taiwanese girl rolled her eyes, sat up, and stretched. “It's a weekend, why can't I get my sleep?”

 

The older girl shrugged. “You snooze, you lose.”

 

The student rolled her eyes once more. “What are you, a kid?”

 

Nayeon walked over to her closet to find something to change into, while the younger girl looked at her phone. After some time deciding her outfit, the bunny girl went into her bathroom to change, and the younger girl got up from the bed and stretched. Eventually, Nayeon got out of the bathroom. Tzuyu was searching the luggage she packed and pulled out a shirt.

 

The younger girl casually took her shirt off in front of Nayeon, in which the older girl responded with a blush.

 

“U-Um... that's pretty open of you.” Nayeon remarked.

 

The younger girl put her new shirt on. “I mean, it's just a bra. You're a girl too, so this should be fine, right?” The student then went over to her luggage and took the rest of her clothing, and went into the bathroom.

 

The bunny girl started to wonder if there was a bigger reason for that.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:42 PM.

 

Jeongyeon returned to her home, and just threw herself onto her living room couch. She had gone to a bar earlier, and she met a girl named Seo Jangmi. It took her a while to realize that Jangmi was the same girl Nayeon tried to ask out earlier this month, but she had a boyfriend. Jangmi claimed that her boyfriend was cheating on her, so she broke it off with him, and then she asked Jeongyeon out on a date.

 

Of course, Jeongyeon accepted, but it was still weird.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:02 PM.

 

Because Dahyun's time to move in was coming close, Jihyo was helping Dahyun with packing. Although they had only packed two boxes, Dahyun stopped to take a break, while Jihyo herself continued to pack. But even then, the blonde insisted that her best friend take a break.

 

“Jihyo-unnie pleeasse..” The blonde girl said.

 

The JYP trainee looked at her friend. “I want you to move in at exactly May 1st, so the sooner we pack your stuff, the faster you can live with me.”

 

Despite her sisters saying they would move out at May, the two girls have essentially already moved out, they were already sleeping at their new place, but they still needed to take some stuff away from Jihyo's house. The blonde offered to move in already, but the older girl decided to wait until exactly May. “ ** _If you move in at May, which is your birth month, then it's like me giving you an early birthday gift._** ”

 

The blonde just lied there on her side, using her phone. Jihyo sighed and opened the closet. The younger girl sat up. “Hey, uh, you know Chaeyoung also has stuff in there too, right?” She got up and approached her best friend.

 

“Oh, so now you want to help?” Jihyo said, a bit aggressive.

 

The blonde immediately caught this. “...Hey, you feeling alright?”

 

The JYP trainee sighed and sat on Dahyun's bed. “I don't know..”

 

The younger girl sat next to her best friend and put her hands on top of Jihyo's hands. “Hey, come on, you can tell me.”

 

The older girl sighed. “I thought that my sisters would hang around a little bit longer, and start packing two days before May... I guess I'm just a bit upset they're already gone.”

 

The blonde frowned. “Aw, I'm sorry.”

 

She pulled her best friend into a hug. The older girl held on tightly. After a couple of beats, Dahyun pulled away. “I'll help you, then. I want to be in as fast as possible.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:21 PM.

 

Like with Chaeyoung's party, Mina had invited the rest of her friends, along with DAY6. The first to arrive were Dahyun and Jihyo, who settled in nicely with Chichi, playing with the dog. Following the girls, a couple of minutes later, was DAY6, who were immediately followed by Sana, Seulgi, and Momo. After a couple of more minutes, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Jeongyeon, and Chaeyoung arrived in one group.

 

Although the others were talking inside the house, Mina had found herself outside in her backyard, watching over her dog. Of course, she was eventually greeted by the keyboardist, who made his way outside to talk to her.

 

“Hey, I just wanted to thank you for the cake,” Wonpil said. “Er, again.”

 

“That's the eleventh time today..” The girl said, sitting down on a chair she had stationed. “Honestly, just seeing you enjoy it is enough for me, I don't really need a thanks.”

 

The keyboardist nodded. “Okay.”

 

The girl fell silent. “Hey, so... I did get you a gift.” Mina said.

 

“Oh?” Wonpil questioned. “I thought the cake was your gift.”

 

The girl shook her head. “That too, but I feel like this is more important.”

 

Mina got off from the chair, approached Wonpil and pulled out a small box from her pocket and handed it to the keyboardist. He opened it and saw what appeared to be a small sun sticker.

 

The girl smiled a bit weakly. “I-I know it's not much, but you can put it on your phone case. I think it would make it look a bit more pretty.”

 

The keyboardist looked up at the younger girl. “Hey, I know you have more to say than that.”

 

Mina fell silent, but then spoke up. “Some people say the sun brightens their day. Well, you're like the sun to me. So, I'm giving you this sticker to tell you that you brighten my day.”

 

Wonpil just smiled, and pulled the girl into a hug. “Thank you.”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:35 PM.

 

After some hours of conversations and everything, everyone started to leave. The girls left first, and then the rest of DAY6, minus Wonpil, left after them. Mina started to clean up her living room, and Wonpil approached her.

 

“Hey, thanks for everything, Mina,” Wonpil said. The girl just nodded and started putting the dirty plates and bowls in her sink. The keyboardist spoke up. “After we're done cleaning, I'm going to have to leave.” The Japanese girl nodded again.

 

After a half-hour, Mina's house was now fully clean. The keyboardist started packing his stuff up, and the girl hugged him from behind.

 

“No words can describe how much I appreciate you.” She declared.


	9. Fancy You

May 1st, 2018. 1:41 PM.

 

After many long hours, all of the boxes containing the things that Dahyun had packed was finally at Jihyo's house. The blonde still needed to retrieve some smaller things from Chaeyoung's house, but she could officially declare herself as moved in with Jihyo. The two girls entered the bedroom, and Dahyun immediately threw herself onto the king-sized bed.

 

“This bed is so comfy!” The blonde said.

 

The older girl sat down on the bed. “Welcome to your new home, Dubu.” Jihyo moved closer on the bed to be right next to Dahyun and kissed her on the cheek.

 

The blonde blushed in response. “T-Thanks..” The older girl lied right next to the younger girl, looking at her.

 

“Hey,” Jihyo said. The blonde turned to face her. “Yes?”

 

The older girl smiled. “I look forward to living with you from now on, sweetie.”

 

“S-Sweetie..?” The blonde said.

 

The older girl giggled. “You don't like that? We're roommates now, so I thought I should give you a new nickname.”

 

“C-Couples say sweetie..”

 

Another giggle from Jihyo. “Then... How about sweetheart?”

 

“Couples say that too...!”

 

The two girls lied there, facing each other. They stared into each other's eyes, but then the older girl's eyes started to trail down to Dahyun's lips. She wrapped one arm around the younger girl. The girls lied there for a couple of moments, but the younger girl immediately sat up.

 

“Y-You know.. W-We should probably go to the store or something..” The blonde said.

 

The older girl sat up. “You're right. There's some stuff I need to get.”

 

Dahyun sat up and got off the bed. She exited the room, shutting the door quickly. Jihyo just stared at the turned-off T.V. screen, sighing to herself. At this point, the loud pounding of Jihyo's heart was too much to ignore, so she just took some time to hear it, and think about it.

 

“Dahyun...” Jihyo said to herself, quietly. “You're really doing something to me... and you don't even know it...”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:51 PM.

 

After school, Tzuyu had decided to just head to the park alone. She was watching the ducks in the river, taking in the noises of nature outside. She needed some time to think to herself because recently her feelings have been confusing her.

 

Well, to be specific, her feelings about Nayeon.

 

The bunny girl makes her feel a certain way that she cannot explain. But that's a known fact at this point, right?

 

Her mind ran through so many thoughts, so many explanations that don't quite fit. She couldn't make sense of any of it, and it irritated her to no end.

 

Then, of course, she got to the conclusion that she's been trying to avoid for so long. The one that made so much sense, but at the same time, so little sense.

 

She has romantic feelings towards Nayeon.

 

But... Tzuyu's straight, right?

 

But the more she thinks of it... the more she thinks that, perhaps, she isn't quite straight.

 

Every single date she would go on a guy with, she never really felt any “sparks” or a connection. At first, she just thought it was the guys she was going out with. Until she went out on a date with a really likable guy, and there was still no sparks then. That was a while ago, so Tzuyu didn't think much of it at the time. But now that she thinks about it...

 

It isn't just certain guys that Tzuyu doesn't connect with... It's ALL guys. She's never once felt anything romantic with any guy of any type, at all. But with Nayeon...

 

She was always a blushing mess, always heard her heart pounding, always felt butterflies in her stomach... and the only person who made her feel that way...

 

It was Nayeon.

 

It's always been Nayeon.

 

So...

 

That was it. Tzuyu figured it out. The answer to the main question that's been following her all this time.

 

“...huh,” Tzuyu said quietly to herself, then she made her way out of the park.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:36 PM.

 

Nayeon was spending her time at a mall. Of course, this wasn't just any mall, since it had a theater and an underground aquarium. Much to say, the bunny girl was having some fun by herself.

 

But, there's one thing that's constantly on her mind. More accurately – one person that's constantly on her mind.

 

Chou Tzuyu. Her best friend.

 

There's a lot of good things about Tzuyu, and Nayeon really loved that. But then... she started to think about the “elephant in the room” if that's a good phrase.

 

Their feelings for each other.

 

At first, Tzuyu was JUST her best friend, but as of this month... Nayeon's been noticing a lot of things. And well... she's going to admit it straight up. Nayeon has romantic feelings for Tzuyu. She never really brought it up, or thought much of it, since she's dealt with unrequited love before, so it was just natural to her. But with how the younger girl has been acting lately... it's made the bunny girl reconsider some things.

 

Just, and hear her out, what if... Tzuyu has feelings for Nayeon?

 

A bit crazy, but Tzuyu has mentioned that she hasn't really been hitting it off with guys lately. And Nayeon isn't blind, she sees how the Taiwanese girl is when she's around her. So... maybe Tzuyu has feelings for Nayeon?

 

The bunny girl would be extremely happy. But she isn't going to get her hopes up. As far as everyone knows, Tzuyu is straight. So, she'll see in the future.

 

Nayeon noticed that she was just standing there in the middle of the mall, so she proceeded to start walking. She'll get back on this topic soon.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:59 PM

 

After getting the smaller things for Chaeyoung's house, Dahyun started to slowly move her stuff into Jihyo's room. The older girl wasn't around for right now since she was busy doing some more practice over at JYP studios. Dahyun didn't mind since this gave her some time by herself to fully look around Jihyo's house.

 

There was a knock on the door, which irritated the blonde a bit. She walked over and opened the door, and much to her surprise, Sana was behind the door.

 

“Ah... I thought Jihyo would be here.” Sana fell silent. “Sorry.”

 

“Wait, hold on, I'm sure Jihyo will be back soon,” Dahyun replied. “You can stay in if you want.”

 

“No thanks,” Minatozaki replied. “It's something I want to talk to Jihyo about, in private.”

 

“Oh.. I see...” The blonde fell silent. “Then, she's at JYP studios.”

 

“Ah, thanks.”

 

With that, Sana took off. Dahyun just stood there dumbfounded.

 

“That... was weird...” Dahyun said to herself.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:34 PM.

 

Jihyo was surprised by a knock on the practice room door. “Oh, come in!”

 

A bigger surprise, Sana came in.

 

“Ah?” Jihyo was surprised (did I mention this was all a surprise?). “Sana, it's good to see you.”

 

“Jihyo... I-It's good to see you too.” Sana fell silent. “Ah... can I tell you something? It's... a bit heavy.”

 

“Oh?” The JYP trainee sat on the couch. “Really?”

 

Sana sat down next to her. “We've had lots of talks before, and... remember how a while ago, I mentioned wanting something that you can't have?”

 

“Right.” The younger girl nodded. “I've been wondering what it is.”

 

Sana took a deep breath. The only people that know about Sana's dark past is Seulgi and Momo. But... Minatozaki-chan really trusted Jihyo, since the girl was so caring and warm. So... this wasn't going to be too hard, right?

 

“I don't have any parents, but you know that,” Sana said.

 

“Yeah...” Jihyo said quietly, she reached over to Sana's hands. After some readjusting, Jihyo made sure the two girls were holding hands. “I'm here for you, Sana. You can tell me...”

 

The Japanese girl just smiled at her. “Y-Yeah...”

 

Another deep breath. “When I was really young... my mother died.”

 

Jihyo's heart dropped. “s-sana...” she whispered under her breath.

 

“After that... my father started to drink. A lot.” Minatozaki sighed. “He never hit me – thank god -, but... he never paid attention to me. Ever. Imagine that, huh? Going through a time of horrible grief, and the one person that you can turn to doesn't even care enough to even talk to you.”

 

Sana looked away, but then back at Jihyo. “He would leave money for me, but that's about it. So... I raised myself. At least until...” A sigh. “Until he left.”

 

The JYP trainee gasped. “He... left?”

 

“He abandoned me,” Sana replied. “I was 15 years old, and he just abandoned me.”

 

“S-Sana... I'm so sorry.” Jihyo pulled the girl into a hug. “That's so horrible...”

 

“It's okay...” Minatozaki responded. “But... that's not all.”

 

Sana pulled away from the hug. “You're probably going to think this sounds crazy... but I've been thinking, and... well... I want to go find him.”

 

“huh? You... want to find your father? The same guy that abandoned you?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Yeah, you wouldn't really understand,” Minatozaki replied. “You had it good, you know? All your life, you've known what it's like to have a loving mother and father. But I didn't. And... maybe he's changed. I'm willing to forgive him if he's changed.”

 

A sigh from Sana and she continued. “I can't live my entire life without knowing what happened to him, Jihyo. I need that closure, I-I deserve that closure after everything that I've been through.”

 

The JYP trainee fell silent and took a couple of moments to think. But then... she spoke up. “Okay. I can help you.”

 

“Jihyo?” Sana's heart started to pound fast. “Help me?”

 

“Of course! You're my friend, and friends help friends!”

 

Ouch. “Y-Yeah... my friend..” Much to say, Minatozaki felt a sharp blade pierce her heart.

 

Jihyo took hold of Sana's left hand. “Whatever you need with this, er, quest? I'll help you. Okay?”

 

Minatozaki nodded. Even then, her heart was still pounding fast. And she felt some warmness, knowing that Jihyo wanted to help her. “Okay.”

 

The JYP trainee fell silent and started to have an internal conflict. Sana noted this. “Jihyo?”

 

“Ahhh... Jeongyeon's going to kill me.” Jihyo sighed. Minatozaki was just confused. “What do you mean?”

 

“Sana, I have something to tell you. It's really big, and quite honestly, very personal. But I trust you.” The JYP trainee said.

 

“Oh?” The Japanese girl looked at her. “All eyes on you, Jihyo.”

 

Jihyo just sighed and smiled lightly. “Ah... I'm bisexual.”

 

And then... Sana saw it. A chance, a little spark of hope.

 

“Awww... congratulations!” Sana replied, pulling her in for a hug. “I knew there was some gay in there!”

 

“Dahyun said that same thing!” Jihyo commented, hugging her back.

 

After a little bit, the two girls pulled away. With the newly learned fact that Jihyo is bisexual, Sana found herself smiling non-stop. She could really see a future with Jihyo, and she loved that!

 

\------------------------------

 

8:51 PM.

 

Much to say, Jihyo spent the rest of her time at JYP with Sana, just having absolute fun. She really liked Sana, as a friend. Anyways, Sana offered to stick around with Jihyo at least until she got home, and that's where they're at right now. Jihyo unlocked her front door.

 

“You wanna come in for a little bit, Sana?” Jihyo asked.

 

“Um... is that really okay?” Sana replied with another question.

 

Jihyo smiled warmly at her, making Sana's heart jump. “I'm sure Dubu wouldn't mind.”

 

“Ah, right, she's finally moved in!” Minatozaki replied. “H-How exciting!”

 

She mentally facepalmed for stuttering. Anyways, Jihyo entered the house and motioned for Sana to enter. Immediately, Jihyo was greeted with a hug from Dahyun.

 

“Jihyo! I missed you!” Dahyun replied. “Oh, and hey there, Sana.”

 

“Hello.” The Japanese girl said.

 

Jihyo placed a gentle kiss on Dahyun's cheek, and Sana felt her heart break into a million little pieces. The blonde blushed madly, while Jihyo just stroked her hair. “Dubu, what's wrong?”

 

“Ah... it's nothing.” Dahyun replied.

 

“You... two are dating...?” Sana asked. “W-When did that happen?”

 

The two girls just turned around to face her. “We're not dating!”

 

The Japanese girl was taken aback. “Then why did Jihyo just kiss you!?”

 

“Ah, it's a thing I'm doing now,” Jihyo said. “Since, you know, Dahyun and I are childhood friends.”

 

Sana had a mental sigh of relief. Then, she collected herself and composed herself accordingly with Dahyun.

 

“More like an old married couple,” Minatozaki added with a smirk.

 

“Wonpil said the exact same thing,” Jihyo replied. “How annoying...”

 

“Well... I'm just going to leave you two lovebirds to it.” The Japanese girl remarked.

 

“We're not lovebirds, stop!!!” Dahyun whined. “You're such a meanie!”

 

Sana and Jihyo both giggled. “You're so funny, Dubu!” The JYP trainee commented.

 

“Waaah... stop laughing...” The blonde pouted.

 

“No, but for real, I going to go,” Sana replied. “Thanks for offering Jihyo, but I got some stuff to attend to.”

 

“Ah, okay, bye Sana!” Jihyo said as Sana walked out the door.

 

The JYP trainee just hugged Dahyun again. “Aaaahhhhh, what's this for?”

 

The blonde was blushing, in which Jihyo noted. “I just wanted to hug you, my Dubu.”

 

“I-I see...” Dahyun hugged her back.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 2nd, 2018. 11:31 AM.

 

Jeongyeon was at the mall, looking at the aquarium. She was surprised when two very familiar figures joined her. It was Dahyun and Jihyo, who were holding hands.

 

“Oh, hey, Jeongyeonnie.” The blonde said.

 

Jeongyeon saw they were holding hands, and smirked. “Holding hands in public? Hooowwww riskyyy...”

 

“Yaahh, you're starting that already?” Jihyo said annoyed.

 

“I'm just messing with you two.” The older girl smiled. “It's good to see you.”

 

“Of course.” The JYP trainee replied. “Oh! I got something I want to tell you!”

 

“Really? What is it?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“I'm bisexual,” Jihyo announced proudly.

 

“Oh, so now we're twinning! How cute.” Jeongyeon replied.

 

“Also, I told Sana before you.” The JYP trainee said.

 

“YOU WHAT!?” The older girl overdramatically put her hand to her chest. “THE BETRAYAL!”

 

Jihyo started to giggle, while Jeongyeon just smiled. “It's cool, honestly. I had that little feeling anyways, so thanks for confirming it.”

 

“Sana and Dahyun both said that,” Jihyo replied.

 

“We're able to detect someone like us!” Dahyun said. “I can't believe you've just now heard of it!”

 

“Of course... hey, Jeongyeon, you wanna spend time with me?” The JYP trainee asked.

 

“Nah, I'd rather spend time with a cactus.” Jeongyeon sarcastically said. “Of course I want to spend time with you two, you idiot! You're my best friends!”

 

Jeongyeon walked over to the two girls.

 

\------------------------------

 

1:28 PM.

 

At lunch break, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were sitting on their spot next to the fountain. The younger girl stared at the fountain, watching as the water pours out from the structure in the middle, into the pool at the bottom. The orange-haired girl spoke up.

 

“Tzuyu, what's wrong?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

The younger girl snapped out of her trance. “I-It's nothing.”

 

Chae frowned. “No, really, what's wrong?”

 

The Taiwanese girl sighed. “I trust you because you're my number two.”

 

“Ouch.” The orange-haired girl remarked. “No, seriously, I'm all ears.”

 

The younger girl looked at her. “I'm uh... I'm pretty sure that I'm gay.” The older girl just looked at her in a state of disbelief. “F-For real? Really?”

 

Tzuyu nodded. Chaeyoung was surprised. Out of all of her friends, she would have never expected Tzuyu to be gay.

 

“Um, wow... okay... that's pretty unexpected. What makes you figure so?” The older girl asked.

 

“I never really felt anything when I'm on a date with a guy, no romantic feelings, just absolutely nothing,” Tzuyu said. “And... well.... when I'm with Nayeon, I feel so many butterflies, it's crazy.”

 

“Oohhhhh my gooosshhh.... d-did you just admit that...” Chaeyoung was absolutely shocked.

 

“Yeah... I have feelings for Nayeon.” The Taiwanese girl replied. “Very romantic feelings.”

 

“T-This is... amazing!” The orange-haired girl stated. “Wowowwowowow!”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:31 PM.

 

At Mina's house, the Japanese girl lied there on her couch, her eyes closed. Her dog was running around the house, occasionally stopping to drink some water. She thought about a lot of things, but more importantly... Wonpil. The keyboardist meant a lot to her, and a part of her hated herself for not revealing her past to him. While she loved that Wonpil was so understanding and patient, she also hated how much it made her feel bad. She wished to tell him about her past, but it would hurt to bring it up.

 

But, she knew Wonpil would always be there to comfort her. So, what was the hold-up? Why couldn't she tell him? Wonpil deserves to know, after sticking with her for so long.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:21 PM.

 

After a long time, she finally decided that she's going to tell Wonpil today. She pulled out her phone and called the keyboardist.

 

“Hello?” The bandmate answered.

 

“Hey, Wonpil? Can you come over? I need to talk to you.” The girl asked.

 

She heard the keyboardist talking to someone in the background, but he immediately returned. “Yeah, sure. I'll be there.”

 

\------------------------------

 

6:51 PM

 

After a half-hour, Wonpil finally arrived at Mina's front door. He knocked, and the girl immediately opened the door.

 

“Come in.” The Japanese girl said. The keyboardist entered the house and closed the door behind him.

 

Mina sighed. “I... I have something I need to tell you.”

 

Wonpil nodded. “You sounded really serious on the phone, is something wrong?”

 

The girl motioned for the keyboardist to sit on the couch, so he did exactly that. She soon followed and sat next to him.

 

The Japanese girl took a few moments to prepare herself but then spoke up. “I... I never really told you about my past. Not much, anyway.”

 

Wonpil immediately put a hand up. “Hey, it's okay. You don't have to tell me. The past is the past, you know?”

 

Mina shook her head. “No, you deserve to know.”

 

The keyboardist set his hand down but immediately went to hold one of Mina's hands. “Okay.”

 

Mina sighed. “My father did die back in 2013... and yes, I did leave in 2015... but there's a reason. My family has been generations upon generations of ballet dancers.”

 

The keyboardist nodded. The girl continued. “When I was a child, my mother signed me for ballet classes. At first, I thought it was exactly what I wanted. I remember, at the time, thinking that I would be the most famous ballet dancer there was... but... that never happened.”

 

The girl sighed. “Somethings happened when I got older... and.. I just couldn't take it anymore. I talked to my parents about taking me out of the class, saying that I couldn't handle it anymore, it just wasn't fun. It was hurting me..”

 

She looked down at their intertwined hands. “My father was a bit hesitant at first, but he was understanding. He respected that I could make my own decisions, so he agreed to let me leave the class...”

 

The Japanese girl's hands started to shake a little. “M-My mother didn't. She... was so angry that I wanted to leave the ballet. S-She told me that I was disgracing my family and that I would be ruining a tradition... I-I-I thought she would be accepting...”

 

Wonpil tightly held onto Mina's hand. “Mina... I'm so sorry.”

 

“T-Thank you.. but.. there's still more.”

 

The girl resisted the urge to cry, slowly feeling tears start to well up, but pushing them back as much as she could. “While my father did convince her to let me leave... my relationship with my mother was too far gone. There was no fixing it. S-She hated me... she never treated me as her daughter, instead acting like I'm some sort of disgrace. My father was the only one who loved me, he was the only one who treated my right. So.. when he died... I-I just couldn't... I spent the next two years saving up money, and once I knew it was time to leave... I took my chance.”

 

Mina paused, then continued. “Of course, mother didn't like that. She spent the whole day trying to convince me to stay, but I wanted - no, needed – to leave. S-So.. when I was at the airport, she showed her true colors again. S-She...” Her voice broke, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “S-She t-t-treated me like I w-was s-some waste of space. C-Calling me a disappointment a-a-and d-d-dis...”

 

The keyboardist immediately pulled the girl into a hug and held her tightly as she sobbed into his shoulders.

 

Since the very moment, Wonpil met Mina, he wanted nothing but the best for her. Getting to know Mina, he realized that she was a precious soul. And to hear that something horrible happened to her in her past... Now more than ever, he wanted to save Mina, and give her the happiness she deserved.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 3rd, 2018. 11:51 AM.

 

Jihyo just found herself looking at Dahyun, who was busy using Jihyo's PS4. Dahyun meant so much to Jihyo. But there was something still in Jihyo's mind. The way she felt after kissing Dahyun. She abandoned that topic a while ago, but now that she's here, spending time with her... it really got her thinking.

 

As already stated, Dahyun meant so much to Jihyo. And there was so much about Dahyun that Jihyo cherished. Her smile, her laugh, her bright personality... just Dahyun herself.

 

Kim Dahyun, the light in Jihyo's life. One thing that Jihyo always look forward to every day was spending time with Dahyun. She always loved hugging the girl, cuddling her, watching funny videos and laughing with her.

 

But then recently... Dahyun made her heart pound fast. She made her feel like a lovesick puppy.

 

At first, Jihyo didn't understand why, until it all came together.

 

She first got light of this truth a couple of days ago, but she tried her hardest to deny it. They've been friends for nineteen years, she didn't want to ruin it with this new truth. But... the more time goes by, the more it becomes apparent to her.

 

Park Jihyo is in love with her best friend, Kim Dahyun.

 

Wow. Just the thought that she could finally admit it in her head. She loves Dahyun. Dahyun, the girl she spent her entire life with, is the love of her life. Jihyo loves Dahyun.

 

The girl kept on repeating that thought in her head. It felt a bit strange, but... she was okay with that. When she first started 2018, this was not how she was expecting it to be. But it's okay, she can live with that.

 

But then the anxiety returns. She knows that Dahyun likes women, but what if... Dahyun doesn't feel the same way towards Jihyo that she does towards her? Gosh, their friendship would be ruined by her confession!

 

If Jihyo wasn't such an idiot, then she would see that Dahyun feels the exact same way.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:31 PM.

 

Momo closed her studio for the day and started to make her way to the park. Of course, she wasn't coming there for no reason, since Sana had called her and Seulgi over to meet up with her. The dance teacher wondered why, until she remembered that she's seen Minatozaki look up flights to Japan and other things similar to that.

 

Eventually, she had arrived at the park and saw Sana talking with Seulgi near a bench.

 

“Hey.” Momo greeted the two girls.

 

“Good, you're here,” Sana said. “Can you two please take a seat?”

 

Seulgi raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”

 

“If you say so.” The dance teacher replied.

 

The two girls took a seat on the bench, while Sana collected her thoughts. After a couple of moments of silence, Sana sighed.

 

“I'm just going to be blunt... call me stupid if you want, but I want to go to Japan to see if I can find my father,” Sana said.

 

Immediately, the dance teacher stood up from her seat. “WHAT!? S-Seriously!?”

 

“Yeah... that's why I was so hesitant about telling you in the first place.” Minatozaki sighed. “You knew what it was like to have a good family, but I never did. And... you know, I feel like I deserve to know what my dad turned out to be, especially after all I've been through.”

 

Momo fell silent. Seulgi got up too.

 

“Well, you know... you're my friend, so of course I'll help you.” Seulgi put a thumbs up. “Hey, why don't I come with you?”

 

“R-Really?” Sana was surprised. “Are you sure?”

 

The SM trainee nodded. “Of course! That's what friends are for!”

 

The older Japanese girl just sighed to herself. While she was angry at Sana's father, she didn't want to just walk away from Sana like this. So... she'll deal with it.

 

“Yeah, I'll come with you two, then,” Momo said, pulling Sana into a hug. “After all, you're my best friend.”

 

Sana hugged her back. “Thank you...”

 

After a couple of moments of silence, Momo pulled away. “Do you know when you'll leave for Japan?”

 

“June, because that's when my mother passed. If anything, I know he will be out doing his thing at that time of month.” Sana said.

 

The other girls just nodded.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:32 PM.

 

Tzuyu's parents had called the girl earlier to set up a date with her. On May 4th, Tzuyu was going to give her ultimate decision. Would she stay with Nayeon, or go back to living with her parents? For some reason, this felt like a time limit for the girl.

 

Her parents said 5:45 PM, so she had until then to truly collect her feelings about Nayeon. She did like-like Nayeon, that was the truth. All she really had to do was confess to Nayeon. She remembers telling Chaeyoung to take a shot before it's gone because she would regret it if she didn't. Funny thing is, she's scared. Maybe it's unreasonable since she knows that Nayeon would let her down easy, but she also knew that this would make things awkward between the two girls.

 

The girl lied there on the bed, thinking about everything. If she was going to confess, she needed to do it before May 4th, 5:45 PM. No pressure, right?

 

“I'm home!” Nayeon called out. Well, that's pretty inconvenient for the younger girl. She would have liked more time to think about it, but, oh well.

 

Tzuyu exited the room and saw Nayeon setting some bags down. “Hey.” The bunny girl said, sitting on the couch. The two girls looked at each other, in awkward silence. Tzuyu was thinking about whether or not to confess her feelings, while the bunny girl looked eager to say something. After a couple of more beats, the girls decided that it was go time.

 

“I need to talk to you.” They both said at the same time. Nayeon blushed and looked away, while Tzuyu put her hands behind her back.

 

“Wow... that's something else.” The bunny girl said. “Y-You go first.”

 

The Taiwanese girl was silent. She wanted to confess, but for some reason, the words wouldn't come out. Nayeon looked at her. “Okay, then I go first.” The bunny girl got up and approached the younger girl. The older girl took a deep breath, and slowly breathed out.

 

“I...” The bunny girl fell silent. “I uh...” The two girls stood there in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity, and then the younger girl spoke up.

 

“Nayeon, I'm gay.” Tzuyu bluntly stated.

 

The bunny girl was shocked. “O-Oh, is that so? T-That's...” There were a couple of moments of silence as Nayeon mentally fangirled, before collecting herself. “Just know that I'll accept you for who you are because after all, you're my best friend.”

 

The younger girl smiled. “Thank you... it really came out of nowhere. I-It still feels a bit weird, to be honest.”

 

“That how I felt too about myself, at first.” The bunny girl replied. “Just give it some time, and you'll be 100% at home with your sexuality.”

 

Tzuyu nodded, and then Nayeon pulled her into a hug. “Heh, shortie.”

 

The bunny girl groaned. “We get it, Eiffel tower.”

 

The younger girl pulled away. “Hey, you can tell me what you wanted to say now.”

 

Nayeon fell silent, she really did want to confess her feelings about Tzuyu right now, but... she didn't exactly want to overwhelm the girl. “F-Forget it, it's nothing.” She tried to walk to the bedroom, but Tzuyu just grabbed her wrist.

 

“Hey, you can tell me.” The Taiwanese girl said. “You are my best friend, after all.”

 

“Ahhh... it really is nothing,” Nayeon replied. “And besides, maybe we should... I dunno, celebrate that you're being honest with yourself?”

 

“It's just my sexual preference, it's not that big of a deal,” Tzuyu said.

 

“Ohohoho, it is a big deal!” The bunny girl replied. “You wasted all those poor boy's times, ya know!?”

 

The Taiwanese girl rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, stop changing the topic, okay? I want to hear what you need to tell me.”

 

The older girl just sighed. “I-It's... stupid. H-Honestly, it's...”

 

The younger girl reached for Nayeon's hand. “Hold my hand.”

 

“Huh?” The bunny girl was confused.

 

“Please hold my hand,” Tzuyu said again. Once again, Tzuyu was being upfront with her, and Nayeon REALLY liked that. She obliged, and just looked at their hands together.

 

“Tzuyu...?” Nayeon looked at her.

 

“Um... I found out I was gay because of... well, you.” Tzuyu said.

 

“Me?” The bunny girl asked back.

 

“I... um... like-like you.” The Taiwanese girl said with a blush.

 

“Like-li... oohhhhh...” It all clicked together for Nayeon. “As in... romantic like...?”

 

“Y-Yes,” Tzuyu replied. The bunny girl smiled at her.

 

“I like-like you too, Tzuyu,” Nayeon said.

 

“Y-You really do?” The Taiwanese girl was shocked. “Y-You're not messing with me?”

 

“Of course not! I've had feelings for you for so long!” The bunny girl admitted. “Uh... Oops!”

 

“Really? Ughh, why haven't you ever told me befo-, wait? Never mind.”

 

“Yeah, telling a supposed straight girl that you have lesbian feelings for her, that sounds like a great idea.”

 

Tzuyu just rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

 

There was silence as the two girls stared into each other's eyes lovingly.

 

“So... does this mean you're my girlfriend now?” Tzuyu asked.

 

Nayeon just giggled. “Yeah, it does.”

 

The Taiwanese girl just pulled the bunny girl into a hug. After a couple of moments of silence, Nayeon pulled away.

 

“Hey... don't you have to move out tomorrow?” Nayeon asked.

 

“Oh, no. I'm not moving out.” Tzuyu smiled at her. “I'm staying here with you, bunny.”


	10. Wishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FRIENDIES! do karaoke and other important stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say that Mina's Melody Project is the greatest thing to ever grace this earth.

May 4th, 6:45 AM.

 

The bunny girl was outside, watching the sunrise. She was sitting on a chair she had set up, occasionally checking her phone for any activity on the group chat. After the events of last night, she woke up in a great mood, but then she started to wonder how the two girls would tell everyone about their relationship. As far as their concerned, everyone else thinks Tzuyu is straight. They would be wrong, but Nayeon wondered how she would go around to tell everyone.

 

She sat up and walked back inside the house. To her surprise, Tzuyu was up early.

 

“Oh, hey,” Nayeon said.

 

Tzuyu was sitting on the couch, looking at the bunny girl. “H-Hey, Nayeon..”

 

The older girl sat next to her. “Hey, so, I need to talk to you.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“So... now that we're a thing now... how are we going to come out to the others?”

 

Tzuyu looked down. “That's... actually what I was thinking about.”

 

The bunny girl sighed. “As far they know, you're straight.”

 

The younger girl looked up at her. “Yeah, and that's a big problem.”

 

“But... You know them, they'll be accepting.”

 

“I-I know... but I'm still scared.”

 

The bunny girl put a comforting hand on Tzuyu's hand. “It's okay, we'll do it together.”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:45 PM.

 

At the front of a restaurant, Nayeon and Tzuyu were there preparing themselves.

 

“I'm sure they'll understand.” The bunny girl said. “They're your parents.”

 

The younger girl sighed. “I-I know... but I've been living with them for so long, what if they don't want me to move out?”

 

The older girl shrugged. “Guess we'll find out.”

 

Tzuyu took a deep breath, and then entered the front, Nayeon following behind.

 

It didn't take long for the girls to find Tzuyu's parents, seeing the couple sitting at a table for four. Conveniently, her parents were sitting next to each other on one side, which left the other side available for the two girls to sit next to each other. After taking their seats, they ordered their food. Now, it was time for the conversation.

 

“So.. Tzuyu-sweetie, have you decided?” Her mother asked. The younger girl fell silent, a bit nervous. The older girl put a hand on Tzuyu's shoulder. “Hey, it's okay.”

 

The younger girl nodded. “Y-Yeah..” She looked at her parents. “I've decided that I'm going to stay with Nayeon.”

 

Her two parents both looked at each other, then they faced Tzuyu with smiles on their faces. “We're glad, Tzuyu.”

 

The younger girl was a bit confused. “Glad..?”

 

Her mother sighed. “We love having you with us, we do... but, as you know, we're getting older, and we're afraid that it would be too much to handle with you around-”

“-And we know that Nayeon treats you okay, considering that you're fine with staying with her. And it's good that you're already being a strong independent woman, we're proud of you.” Her father interjected.

 

“ _That went better than expected._ ” Nayeon thought to herself. Tzuyu's mother turned to face Nayeon. “Since we're entrusting you with our daughter, please do everything in your power to make sure she turns out okay from now on.”

 

Once again, the man added something in. “And if you ever hurt Tzuyu...”

 

“J-Jeez, dad, you're talking to her like she's my boyfriend or something..” Tzuyu said, a small blush appeared on her cheeks.

 

Her father chuckled. “Sorry sweetie, it's the dad in me.”

 

The bunny girl glanced up to the ceiling, sighed, and looked back to Tzuyu's father. “Don't worry, Mr. Chou, I'll take good care of your daughter.”

 

The man nodded. “Good.”

 

Time flew by, and the two girls were now standing outside, waving their goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Chou. Once the parents' car was fully departed, the younger girl wrapped her arms around Nayeon in a warm embrace.

 

“Bunnyy!” Tzuyu said. “I'm so happy that I'm moving in with you!” The bunny girl smiled. “I'm happy too, honey.”

 

\------------------------------

 

6:39 PM.

 

The girls finally arrived home. The bunny girl tossed her jacket off, just throwing it onto the couch. Her jacket wasn't the only thing she threw onto the couch, as she let all her weight fall onto the couch. The younger girl, on the other hand, went over to the kitchen, presumably to get some food.

 

“Hey, Tzuyu,” Nayeon said, looking over the kitchen island to see Tzuyu opening the fridge.

 

“What's up?”

 

The bunny girl stretched. “So, I was thinking of inviting our friends over, so we can come out to them.”

 

The younger girl pouted. “Do we have to do that right now, bunny? I know we talked about it earlier, but I wanted to spend some time as just us two together, in our little world...”

 

“Well, then... tell me when you're ready.”

 

Tzuyu walked over to Nayeon, holding a cup of water. She set it down on the table in front of the couch and sat next to Nayeon. The younger girl lied her head on Nayeon's lap, and the bunny girl started to slowly stroke her hair.

 

The two girls really enjoyed this moment with each other.

 

\------------------------------

  
  


6:41 PM.

 

At Jihyo's house, the JYP trainee was lying on her bed, but the blonde was busy using her laptop.

 

“Hey, Dahyun,” Jihyo said.

 

“Mmmm?” The blonde said.

 

The JYP trainee smiled as the younger girl turned around to face her. “I just wanted to say your name.”

 

The blonde giggled. “That's cute, Jihyo.”

 

Dahyun closed Jihyo's laptop and got on the bed, lying next to her best friend.

 

“I haven't asked in a while... have you gotten any news from JYP?” The blonde asked.

 

The older girl looked away. “No.”

 

Dahyun sat up. “I'm sorry. Like I've said before, he's an idiot.”

 

“I-I don't know about that..”

 

“Do you really want me to repeat what I've always been saying? You deserved to debut way back in Sixteen.”

 

“T-To be fair, that group didn't do so good...”

 

“Maybe if you were there you could have saved that group.” The younger girl stood up from the bed. “Or maybe not. That bunch of girls was pretty bad... Hell, I bet the nine of us would be a better girl group than that seven.”

 

Jihyo looked at Dahyun. “The nine of us?”

 

The blonde nodded. “You, Me, Chaeyoung, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, and Mina.”

 

The JYP trainee titled her head. “Why do you think our circle of friends would be good as K-Idols? What would our group even be called?”

 

“I dunno. Sounds cool though, right?”

 

“I'd think twice about that..”

 

Dahyun crossed her arms and pouted. “You're so meeeaaannn!”

 

Jihyo got up from the bed. “I can sing, yeah, but... the other girls?”

 

Suddenly, a bright smile formed on Dahyun's face. “IDEA! KARAOKE!”

 

“Oh gosh,” Jihyo said. “What have I done?”

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Dahyun: karaoke???**

 

**Dahyun: yeah???**

 

**Jeongyeon: dubu you've gotta be joking.**

 

**Nayeon: singing? Us?**

 

**Nayeon: I'm going to sound like Jeongyeon, but I don't want to do that.**

 

**Jeongyeon: what's that supposed to mean? ._.**

 

**Tzuyu: it means ur boring lol**

 

**Jeongyeon: fuck you nayeon and tzuyu**

 

**Nayeon: mwah**

 

**Tzuyu: no thanks.**

 

**Jihyo: don't ignore dubu.**

 

**Nayeon: It's just like, karaoke?**

 

**Dahyun: it's something we haven't done before!**

 

**Jihyo: it sounds like a wonderful idea!**

 

**Jeongyeon: of course you'd say that, Jihyo.**

 

**Jihyo: is something wrong with that?**

 

**Jeongyeon: attached to the hip**

 

**Dahyun: jeongyeon-unnie, you don't wanna do karaoke?**

 

**Jeongyeon: lol and not spend time with my best friends?**

 

**Nayeon: hey did you girls know that Jeongyeon's best friends are Jihyo and Dahyun?**

 

**Jeongyeon: I get it, I say it a lot.**

 

**Jeongyeon: I'm just flexing because I have cool best friends and you don't, Nayeon.**

 

**Tzuyu: wow okay.**

 

**Dahyun: are you done?**

 

**Jeongyeon: well, anyway, I'm heading to Karaoke.**

 

**Sana: Karaoke sounds fine, I'll bring Seulgi!**

 

**Momo: I'm coming too!**

 

**Nayeon: I guess, right? Tzuyu?**

 

**Tzuyu: sure.**

 

**Jihyo: You already know I'm coming with.**

 

**Dahyun: and with me, so that's 7.**

 

**Dahyun: Chaeyoung?**

 

**Chaeyoung: yeah sure why not**

 

**Chaeyoung: just don't surprised if Mina doesn't come lol**

 

**Chaeyoung: she never comes to these events**

 

**~~Myoui Mina has gone online!~~.**

 

**Dahyun: minari, we're going to do karaoke! Wanna come?**

 

**Mina: I'm sorry, but I don't want to.**

 

**Dahyun: aw, that's okay!**

 

**~~Myoui Mina has gone offline!~~**

 

**Chaeyoung: told you so**

 

**Chaeyoung: but maybe her boyfriend can change her mind**

 

**Jihyo: um, Wonpil is NOT her boyfriend.**

 

**Chaeyoung: he isn't?**

 

**Jihyo: did you really think he was her boyfriend all this time?**

 

**Chaeyoung: I'm just messing with you!**

 

**Chaeyoung: anyways, karaoke when?**

 

**Dahyun: 9:45 pm sounds good?**

 

**Nayeon: sure!**

 

**Dahyun: ok, see you, girls, then!**

 

\------------------------------

 

7:31 PM.

 

After a decent amount of time, Sana finally arrived at Seulgi's house. She approached the door and knocked. Not even ten seconds flew by before the door flew open, and Sana was pulled into the house.

 

“Gah! What the heck?!” Sana said, taking a few steps back as Seulgi closed her door.

 

“Do... do you see the time?” The SM trainee remarked. “What are you doing so late?”

 

“huh.”

 

“Huh, what?”

 

“It's 7 PM...” The Japanese girl said.

 

The Korean girl stared blankly, before immediately facepalming herself. “I have NOOO idea why I thought it was 1 AM.”

 

Sana just gaped at Seulgi in bewildered amusement. “Do you even look outside? The sun's JUST setting!”

 

The Korean girl sighed. “My windows make shit look WAAAYYYY darker than they actually are.” Seulgi walked over to her kitchen and pulled out a bottle of champagne from her fridge.

 

“Oh my gosh, that looks so expensive...” Sana said. “W-Why do you have it just shoved up in your fridge?” The SM trainee poured herself a cup of it. “A-And a cup? You really don't know how to use champagne? Hold on, are you drunk?”

 

Seulgi rolled her eyes. “Just a little buzzed. Sana, though, look out my windows.” The Korean girl brought the Japanese girl over to one of her windows in her living room. She opened the curtain, showing how tinted the window was.

 

“It... actually does look dark,” Sana said. “Don't you have a phone?”

 

The SM trainee drank some of her champagne, and set it down. “Phone's dead. Don't care enough to look at my oven and shit.”

 

The Japanese girl nodded her head in realization. “That explains why you weren't answering my texts.”

 

“What brings you here though?” Seulgi asked.

 

The Japanese girl took the cup from Seulgi's hand. “Karaoke.”

 

The Korean girl reached out weakly as Sana dumped out the champagne. “Sana you know that shit's expensive..”

 

The Japanese girl rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I'm going to wait for you to sober up.”

 

The SM trainee sat on the couch. The Japanese girl went over to Seulgi's coffee maker. Seulgi sighed loudly. “I'm just slightly buzzed, I'm not drunk.”

 

Sana rolled her eyes. “Doesn't matter, you need to be at your A-game.”

 

The Korean girl yawned. “For Karaoke? With your friends?” Sana nodded.

 

The SM trainee took a few moments to think, and then spoke up. “Mmm... that sounds really fun. I'm going to totally destroy them.”

 

“Uh, it's not a competition.”

 

Seulgi raised an eyebrow. “Have you gone to Karaoke? There's only one Karaoke place here, and trust me: It's a very elaborate set-up, and it has some sort of thing where it like, scores your vocals compared to the original vocals. It's from a rating of 1-100. You can even have duets or have your scores compared against friends.”

 

Sana just stared at her for a couple of seconds, a bit bewildered. “Huh. Didn't think karaoke was that serious.”

 

“I go to the karaoke place all the time. After all, my singing is why SM accepted me.”

 

“Well, even then, Jihyo's going to completely destroy you.”

 

The SM trainee huffed. “We'll see about that.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:47 PM

 

Back at Jihyo's house, the two girls heard a knock at the door. The older girl opened the front door, to see that Mina was waiting behind.

 

“Ah, Mina,” Jihyo said. “I wasn't expecting to see you here..”

 

The Japanese girl smiled weakly. “I hope I'm not interrupting... s-sorry if I am..”

 

The JYP trainee pulled the girl into a hug, surprising her. After a couple of beats, Jihyo pulled away. “You look like you needed a hug.”

 

The Japanese girl just smiled in response. “T-Thank you..”

 

The older girl motioned for the Japanese girl to head inside, in which she did. After shutting the door, the JYP trainee called out for her childhood friend. The blonde exited the bedroom and saw Mina standing next to Jihyo.

 

“Minari! I didn't know you were coming!” Dahyun greeted, walking over to the Japanese girl.

 

“I-I wasn't planning to...” Mina said. “B-But... I-I had a change of heart...”

 

“So, do you plan on coming to karaoke with us? We're going to leave in a couple of hours..”

 

“Y-Yeah... I'm not much of a singer, though..”

 

Jihyo offered the girl a comforting smile. “It's okay. As long as you're there with us, that's all that matters.” The Japanese girl felt an overwhelming warmness in her heart. She still wondered why everyone was so nice to her, even though she felt like she didn't deserve it. Why should she? She's just a dis-

 

“Minari!” Dahyun said, snapping the girl out of her thoughts.

 

“Y-Yeah?” She said, stumbling back a bit.

 

“You looked like you were going to space there for a sec!”

 

“S-Sorry...”

 

“Hey, what about Wonpil?” Jihyo asked. “You could bring him along. You always seem more comfortable with him.”

 

“S-So, you've noticed...”

 

“We're not hurt, Wonpil's your best friend after all. All of us appreciate that you're trying your best to be our friend, and we hope that one day you'll be more comfortable with us like you're comfortable with Wonpil.”

 

Mina looked up to her. “N-No... I am comfortable with you girls... I-It's just...”

 

The JYP trainee put a hand on the girl's shoulder. “Hey, it's okay. As I said, we're all understanding.”

 

“Okay..”

 

The JYP trainee pulled out her phone and sent one message to the group chat.

 

“Mina's coming.”

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: Mina's coming**

 

**Jeongyeon: yay!**

 

**Chaeyoung: oh, is she now?**

 

**Chaeyoung: how surprising.**

 

**Nayeon: chaeyoung, do you not like Mina ?_?**

 

**Chaeyoung: no, I'm fine with her**

 

**Chaeyoung: it's just like I said, she's part of this group, and yet she's never really around when we hang out.**

 

**Tzuyu: I kinda get it, you don't have to be bitchy about it tho.**

 

**Dahyun: omg can you not**

 

**Chaeyoung: no, I get it.**

 

**Chaeyoung: sorry.**

 

**Jihyo: Minari yay!!!**

 

\------------------------------

 

9:31 PM.

  
  


The first to arrive at the karaoke place were Jihyo, Dahyun, and Mina. The three girls were met with a pleasant surprise, as Wonpil was inside, waiting for them. He had already rented out one of the bigger karaoke rooms for two hours and was waiting inside. The room was big, with a couple of seating booths, a small stage in the middle with the karaoke machine resting, and a few chairs surrounded the stage. Of course, there were TVs placed all over the room so the singer could read the lyrics.

 

The girl made their way into the room, and once they were inside, Mina immediately ran over to the keyboardist and hugged him.

 

“Hey there,” Wonpil said, hugging the girl back. “It's good to see you too.”

 

After some seconds, Mina pulled away. Jihyo walked over to the system. “Oh gosh.”

 

The keyboardist looked over to the trainee. “What's up?”

 

The girl laughed nervously. “Are you going to sing too?”

 

The bandmate shrugged. “Maybe.”

 

“Okay, then it's a wrap, shit!” A voice said, barging in. The group of four turned around to see Seulgi walking in, with Sana just behind her.

 

“Oh hey there Sana!” Dahyun said, waving at the Japanese girl.

 

“Hi...” Sana replied, but her eyes were on Jihyo, who was looking so beautiful right now.

 

Seulgi threw herself onto one of the seats. “Just saying, I'm totally going to crush all of you.”

 

The blonde immediately turned to face Seulgi. “There's a literal K-Idol right next to us. You sure about that?”

 

The SM trainee rolled her eyes. “mmmeehhh..”

 

Jihyo looked at her watch. “It's 9:33.”

 

The blonde looked over to her childhood friend and offered a smile. “Don't worry, the others will be here soon.”

 

Seulgi yawned. “So who's idea was this?”

 

The JYP trainee looked at Seulgi. “Dahyun's.”

 

The SM trainee nodded. “And why did you think of this, Kim Dahyun?”

The blonde felt a bit weirded out at being referred to her full name, but she answered nonetheless. “Well, Jihyo and I were talking about sixteen.. and uh, I thought that Jihyo would make a great leader. And everyone knows about the group that resulted from sixteen... how they disbanded after one comeback because of how bad they were.”

 

Wonpil frowned. “They tried their hardest, Dahyun.”

 

The blonde sighed. “I know, but still... the facts the facts. Anyways, I told Jihyo that Me, Her, Sana, Momo, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, and Mina would probably make a better girl group than that other group.”

 

Mina looked away. “I-I'm flattered... but I'm not much of a singer..”

 

“Ah, It was an in the moment comment. I invited all of you here because I actually do want to see how good of singers you all actually are.”

 

Seulgi nodded. “Mmmm, interesting, interesting!”

 

Two more girls entered the room, which was Nayeon and Tzuyu.

 

“Heeyyaa!” Nayeon said. “I'm ready to completely destroy this room!”

 

Tzuyu narrowed her eyes. “Oh gee, that sounds soo exciting..”

 

The keyboardist chuckled nervously. “Don't actually destroy this room, please.”

 

“It's a metaphor. Or whatever you call it.” The bunny girl sighed loudly.

 

The blonde noted something different about the two girls. Despite Nayeon and Tzuyu's best efforts to hide their hands, Dahyun could clearly see that the two girls were holding hands.

 

“Mhh, what's up with that?” Dahyun remarked, gazing at the two girl's hands. Nayeon noticed where Dahyun was staring, so she instinctively let go of Tzuyu's hand, and walked forward towards one of the seats. The younger girl felt a bit hurt, but she could understand Nayeon's reaction. After all, this will be a lot for the others to take in.

 

“...that doesn't exactly answer my question.” The blonde stated. Before any other words could be said, the door opened again. Momo had finally arrived.

 

“Oh hey.” Sana greeted. “I almost thought you weren't coming.”

 

The dance teacher sighed. “I got held up a bit, but I'm here, so that's all that matters.”

 

Seulgi looked at her. “What held you up?”

 

“WE'RE HERE!” A voice cheerfully said. Orange hair went into view from the doorway, immediately giving away that Chaeyoung had arrived. Behind the short girl was also Jeongyeon, who seemed a bit annoyed.

 

“Oh goodie, the gang's all here,” Seulgi remarked. Jihyo walked over to the machine. Jeongyeon shut the door to the room and walked over to the JYP trainee.

 

“I brought Miss Minari hater,” Jeongyeon remarked.

 

Jihyo sighed. “She doesn't hate Mina, you know.”

 

“I know, I'm just fucking with you. It's just... ugh... Chaeyoung spent the past 30 minutes blabbering about her boyfriend. Ugh, love...”

 

The taller girl walked off, while Jihyo started to mess with the machine a bit, finding the tracklist. “Oh my gosh. T-That's a lot of songs!”

 

“Jihyo's getting excited,” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Ooohhh, how naughty..” Seulgi remarked. Sana responded by hitting Seulgi on the shoulder, scolding the girl for her inappropriate comment.

 

“Who's going first anyway..” Nayeon asked, chewing on a pocky she had bought. The bunny girl pulled out a pocky and put it in front of her girlfriend. The Tawainese girl stared at it and then grabbed it. “T-Thanks.”

 

“How gay,” Seulgi said. This time, Sana lightly hit Seulgi on the back of her head. “Ow Sana that shit hurts!”

 

Minatozaki groaned. “Seulgi, don't make me kick you out. You KNOW I'll kick you out if you keep that up.”

 

The SM trainee whimpered. “Okay miss Minatozaki..”

 

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. “Do you ever get tired of being annoying?”

 

Seulgi looked over to the long-haired girl and scoffed. “That's what makes me fun, and endearing.”

 

Jeongyeon scoffed. The JYP trainee was still looking at the tracklist, and Mina walked over to her.

 

“Ah, J-Jihyo...” Mina said. “I... know a song.”

 

The JYP trainee looked over to her. “Oh?”

 

The Japanese girl nodded. “There's a song I heard... it's from an artist... T-TOY, was it? A-Anyways... it's called _Good Person_!"

 

The JYP trainee nodded, and pressed the search function on the touchscreen, typing down the name of the song. To her pleasure, the song was available. “It's on this machine, actually.”

 

The Japanese girl looked up. “I-It is?”

 

“Would you like me to sing it?”

 

Mina looked down. “N-No, that's okay... I just wanted to see if it was there.”

 

And with that, the girl walked over to a booth, sitting down. The JYP trainee stared sadly, and then her childhood friend walked over to her. “You know what I just thought of, Jihyo?”

 

The older girl looked at her. “Yeah?”

 

“Duet.”

 

“...Duet?” Jihyo asked. Dahyun nodded. “You and I could sing a song together!”

 

“Hey, uh, everyone!” Tzuyu said, standing up from where she was sitting. “I... I have something I need to tell you.” Nayeon gave Tzuyu a reassuring nod. Once everyone had their eyes set on Tzuyu, she continued. “How do I say this... mmm... um... I'm... Ugh, I don't know how to say it. Whatever. Uh... I'm gay.”

 

“Okay, cool,” Seulgi remarked. “How cute!”

 

“I hope you weren't expecting a negative response,” Jeongyeon stated. “This entire group is LGBT friendly, ya know?”

 

“I-I know...” Tzuyu replied. “How many of us are LGBT, actually?”

 

“Well, me, Nayeon, and Sana are gay!” Dahyun said. “Add in you now, Tzuyu!”

 

“And Seulgi, Mina, Momo, Chaeyoung, and Jeongyeon are bisexual,” Sana replied.

 

“Oh, and Wonpil is the only straight person in this group,” Jeongyeon said.

 

“UH-” Jihyo stuttered on her words as Jeongyeon just-

 

“Wait, Jihyo?” Nayeon said. “Yoo Jeongyeon, has age gotten to you?”

 

“Oh, shut up you goddamn grandma!” The tall girl remarked. “Sorry, Jihyo totally slipped! Jihyo and Wonpil are the only straight ones in this group!”

 

Jihyo and Jeongyeon both shared a look, and then they sighed.

 

“Not to sound rude, but uh... are we actually even going to do karaoke?” Seulgi said. “It feels like we've been leading up to karaoke for like, a long time.”

 

“Right, totally forgot about that,” Jihyo said.

 

Tzuyu sat next to Nayeon, as the bunny girl looked at her. The Tawainese girl whispered into her ear. “We'll tell them about our relationship some other day.” Nayeon would have liked to tell them now, but she respects Tzuyu's wish.

 

“Oh uh, speaking of..” Jihyo said. “I'm actually bisexual.”

 

“Yeah, that makes more sense,” Nayeon replied.

 

“Why does that make more sense?” Jihyo asked, a bit confused. The bunny girl put a pocky in between her teeth. “It just does, kay?” The JYP trainee sighed and put on a song.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:50 PM

 

So far, Jihyo had sung 2 songs alone, and 3 songs with Dahyun. Wonpil put on what was essentially a solo concert of him just singing DAY6 songs. Afterward, Seulgi sang a few songs too. After Seulgi, Jeongyeon sang, then Sana, and then Momo.

 

Just right now, Nayeon had finished singing. Jeongyeon looked at her phone.

 

“Ah shit,” Jeongyeon said. “Hey, sorry everyone.. I have to go already.”

 

“Aw, so soon?” Dahyun replied. “I'm hurt.”

 

The girl sighed. “I got stuff to do soon. I'll see you all tomorrow.” Jeonyeon hugged everyone goodbye, and then made her leave.

 

Wonpil looked at his phone. “Our time's almost up, actually.”

 

Mina looked at the machine, then at Wonpil. “H-Hey... Wonpil..”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Um... Do you think we can come back here some other time? J-Just us two.”

 

The keyboardist thought about it. “Sure, I suppose we can.”

 

“I want to sing before we close up,” Chaeyoung said. “I've literally been practicing this one song, for like, ages.” The orange-haired girl found the song and started it.

 

\------------------------------

 

11:10 PM.

 

After a couple more songs from everyone except for Mina and Wonpil, the group was preparing to leave. Chaeyoung, Sana, Momo, and Seulgi had already left, while Mina and Wonpil were saying their goodbyes. Dahyun was throwing away some trash.

 

The JYP trainee looked over to her friend. “So, Dahyun, what's your verdict?”

 

The blonde smiled. “Perfect group.”

 

Jihyo giggled. “That's what I thought too. What should our name be?”

 

“TWICE.”

 

“Hm, why TWICE?”

 

“This might sound cheesy.. but it's because this group's bond is twice as strong as any other's.”

 

The older girl smiled. “That does sound cheesy, but I like it, Dubu.”

 

Nayeon and Tzuyu were still sitting in the booth.

 

“So... Tzuyu, when do you want us to tell them?” The bunny girl asked.

 

The Tawainese girl thought about it. “Maybe in a couple of days. I just really want to enjoy it being us two for a couple of days, bunny.”

 

“I can live with that.”

 

Mina hugged Wonpil goodbye. “Thank you for coming, I really appreciate it.”

 

The keyboardist nodded, the girl pulling away. “Hey, you know I'll always be there for you.”

 

“T-Thank you..”

 

After saying their last goodbyes, everyone departed the karaoke place and made their way home.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 5th, 2:21 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were out at the grocery store, getting food for Jihyo to cook.

 

“Hey, have you gotten any news about your parents?” Jihyo asked. “I... haven't asked in a while.”

 

Dahyun sighed. “Divorce still pending. When it's done, they'll tell me, and you know you'll be the first I tell.”

 

The JYP trainee sighed. “Gosh...”

 

The blonde looked over to the chocolate milk inside one of the fridges in the diary area. “I know, it's been a while since they started the divorce process. I sort of figured it would be done by now, but it seems like the negotiations are still... a lot.”

 

“Do you ever wish things would be back to the way they were?” Jihyo asked.

 

The blonde fell silent. “To be honest... I think this was for the best. I-I know that sounds bad... but with how their relationship was going, I feel like this is the best option for them.”

 

Dahyun walked over and took the chocolate milk gallon out of the fridge, and put it in the cart Jihyo was pushing. The JYP trainee sighed but continued on her path.

 

Jihyo thought about her feelings for Dahyun. She.. wanted, no, needed to confess her feelings for Dahyun to the girl. But... when? And how? She can't just blurt it out.. she needs to find the right time to tell her.

 

Maybe... at Dahyun's birthday. It could go one of two ways: If Dahyun feels the same way, it could be the greatest birthday gift for the girl. Or... Dahyun doesn't feel the same way, and Jihyo just completely destroyed a 20-year-old friendship. One thing that Jihyo knows though, is that you have to take your shot when you can because if you don't, you'll regret not having taken it at all.

 

Park Jihyo is going to confess her love for Kim Dahyun on May 28th, 2018.


	11. You're My Sunset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uwu

May 6th, 2018. 12:23 PM

 

At Jihyo's house, the JYP trainee was outside, enjoying the breeze. Dahyun was inside the house though, sitting in the living room and munching on a pocky. She was in a call with Chaeyoung.

 

“mmmm.”

 

“Ugh, are you even listening to me?” Chaeyoung said. “Let me ask again then... would you like to go with me to the amusement park?”

 

The blonde swallowed the pocky. “Sure, are you going to bring anyone else?”

 

“...Well actually, Kyungmin.”

 

“Ohhh, your boooyyyfriieennnd?” Dahyun teased.

 

“Y-Yes.. my boyfriend.” The oranged-haired girl replied. “I don't think you've met him yet, actually.”

 

“Mm... I don't want to be all alone... I'll bring Jihyo.” The blonde said.

 

“That's good, so double date,” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“D-Don't say that.” The blonde said. “Please..”

 

“...fine. See you then? 4:21 PM.” The younger girl said, hanging up.

 

The girl stared at her phone. “Okay..” Dahyun sighed and went outside.

 

“Unnie, do you want to go to the amusement park with me?” The blonde asked.

 

Jihyo turned around to face her. “Unnie, huh?”

 

Dahyun blushed. “I-It's been a while since I called you that.”

 

“Amusement park.. hmm.. yeah, sounds good.”

 

“Yay!” Dahyun pulled her best friend into a hug.

 

“It's been so long since we've been there, though..” Jihyo replied. “Do you think anything's changed?”

 

“Mmmm... I hope not..” The blonde whined. “I really hope they didn't get rid of the candy apples.”

 

The JYP trainee giggled. “I'm pretty sure those are mainstays, Dubu.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:14 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun had both arrived at JYP studios. The older girl had received a text from Wonpil, who had asked to meet with her. The girl mentioned she was going to bring her best friend, and the keyboardist didn't seem to mind.

 

“It's been so long since I've stepped foot in- wait, that's wrong,” Dahyun remarked. “Meehh..”

 

Jihyo chuckled. “Yeah, just a few weeks you were here, dubu.”

 

“Yeah, you were going through something... Oh! Right, the bisexual thing.”

 

“It was pretty overwhelming. Imagine thinking you knew something for a long time, but then suddenly, something completely new pops up, and like, totally shatters the norm.”

 

The blonde found this completely relatable, and definitely in terms of her feelings about Jihyo. For the longest time, she thought she only felt platonic feelings towards Jihyo, but then a few years ago the younger girl found herself slowly falling in love with Jihyo. At first, she tried to ignore it but ignoring it made things worse, so she eventually came to terms with it.

 

“Ah, Jihyo-noona!” A voice called out. The two girls faced the source of the voice and saw Chan from Stray Kids.

 

“Oh, Chan, I didn't expect to see you here,” Dahyun said. “Uh, Chris?”

 

Chan smiled. “Chan is fine, thank you.”

 

The blonde titled her head. “Should I say Bang Chan? Rolls off the tongue!”

 

The boy laughed. “Any name is fine, Dahyun.”

 

The older girl sighed. “You weren't expecting him to be here... even though he's.. in Stray Kids?”

 

The blonde fell silent. “U-Uh... yes? Their debut is over!”

 

“Um, nope?” Chan said. “We're still promoting “I am NOT!”, just with Mirror.”

 

Dahyun nodded. “Ooohh, I see!”

 

Jihyo looked over Chan. “Hey, have you seen Wonpil?”

 

“Oh, he just left,” Chan replied. “Some girl came over and started talking to him, and he left with her.” The two best friends looked at each other. They had an idea who the girl was.

 

“Can you explain how she looked like?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Um, brown hair,” Chan said. “She had a mole on her nose, I think she was Japanese... and she had like... a pretty sad aura surrounding her.” Jihyo sighed at Chan's comment, but let it slide. “That's Mina.”

 

“Oh, is she a friend of yours?” Chan asked.

 

The blonde nodded. “For a while now.”

 

The boy raised an eyebrow. “How come I haven't met her?”

 

“You haven't met most of our friends,” Jihyo replied. She put a hand on Dahyun's back. “Dubu, we should probably go.” The older girl looked at her phone, just now realizing that Wonpil had texted her just a few minutes earlier, and she had missed it.

 

“Sorry. Mina came. It's important. Another time?” Wonpil's texted read.

 

Jihyo texted back. “Sure, no problem.”

 

Two more Stray Kids members entered the main lobby, which was Minho and Jisung. Minho seemed to be talking to the other boy, but then Jisung got distracted by the girls.

 

“Oh hey!” Jisung ran, completely leaving Minho by himself. “Jihyo-noona! I wasn't expecting to see you here so soon!”

 

“You.. have a lot of friends, unnie,” Dahyun remarked.

 

Minho stared blankly, and the blonde could just make out the boy saying something to himself. Jisung finally got to the trio. “Um, hello there,” Dahyun said. “I.. don't think we've met.”

 

“W-Wait, what?” Jisung said. “Noona mentioned you liked Stray Kids..?”

 

The blonde laughed. “Pfft, ahaha! Just kidding!”

 

The girl pulled Jisung into a hug. “I've always been wanting to meet you Jisung!”

 

“W-Whoa, o-okay!” The boy said. The blonde eventually pulled away, and Jisung was a blushing mess.

 

“Well, Jisung, how rude,” Minho replied, just NOW walking over to the group. “Uh, hey there... Dahyun, right?”

 

The blonde was a bit surprised. “You.. must talk about me a lot, unnie.”

 

Jihyo's heart skipped a beat when Dahyun called her unnie again. Why did this one get a reaction out of her? She's been calling her unnie all day... “W-Well, yeah, Dubu, you're my best friend, after all!”

 

And Dahyun's heart broke at that sentence. Well, every day it breaks because she remembers that she and Jihyo might never get together. But Jihyo reminding her was just salt in the wound. “...y-yeah.”

 

“What's... with the tension?” Minho remarked. “You two are.. like, totally being weird.” Jihyo and Dahyun both looked at the rapper/singer.

 

“Huh?” They both said.

 

The boy just looked at another direction. “Mmm, it's nothing.”

 

Chan whispered something into Minho's ear, and the younger boy nodded. The leader looked to the two girls and Jisung. “Uh, Minho and I are going to talk over there. We'll be right back.”

 

The two boys walked over to another area of the lobby, leaving Jihyo, Dahyun, and Jisung to themselves.

 

“Oh, so.,” Jisung said. “N-Noona, do you have any plans?”

 

Jihyo shrugged. “Well, you mean, like, career or..?” The stars aligned and Jihyo realized what was going on. “O-Ohh..”

 

Jisung looked away. “Ah, it's nothing.”

 

The older girl fell silent, but the blonde spoke up. “You and Minho literally both said the same thing!”

 

The rapper looked at them. “Uh... well, when it's nothing, it's nothing..?”

 

The two boys returned. “So, what did we miss?” Minho asked.

 

Jisung awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Nothing, really.”

 

Jihyo looked at Dahyun. The two girls looked at each other knowingly. “Hey, uh, Jisung... actually, Dubu and I were going to the amusement park. Y-You could come if you want.” Jihyo invited.

 

The boy blushed and looked away. “Ah, is that okay? I-I wouldn't want to make things awkward..”

 

Suddenly, Minho swooped in and wrapped an arm around the back of Jisung's shoulders. “Gladly, girls!”

 

Chan just stared. “Huh?”

 

“Er... we didn't invite you..?” Dahyun replied. “I-I mean..”

 

“Well, I wouldn't want my Jisung to be third-wheeling all alone!” Minho replied. “Let me come so he isn't completely alone!”

 

Dahyun just NOW realized that Minho's readings on the gaydar were off the charts. “oohh... Jihyo?”

 

The older girl just shrugged. “Sure, why not. We just gotta tell Chae.”

 

The blonde pulled out her phone and texted Chae. “Hey, so uh, you don't mind if we bring +2's, right?”

 

“What? WHO are you bringing?” Chaeyoung texted back.

 

“Minho and Jisung from Stray Kids...” Was Dahyun's reply.

 

“wait WHAT? HOW!? Sure, go ahead!”

 

“Hey, wait,” Chan said. “What about fansites and paparazzi? Aren't you going to be completely surrounded?”

 

“Meh, I'm sure these people won't be that annoying,” Minho replied. Jisung looked like he was going to die of embarrassment.

 

“Well, Dahyun and I have to go, but we'll be back to get you two for the amusement park,” Jihyo said. “Be ready by 4:10.”

 

Minho nodded. “Yup~! We'll be ready!”

 

The two girls left while Minho started to talk loudly to Jisung.

 

\------------------------------

 

Outside the building, Jihyo sighed. “I-I can't believe Jisung tried to ask me out on a date.”

 

The blonde giggled. “He's really cute, though. Maybe you should- ah, wait, he's underaged. How about Chan? You two seem fine..”

 

Jihyo was quiet. “I-I don't know... I.. kind of have my eyes set on someone else.”

 

The blonde raised an eyebrow, and her heart started to beat fast.

 

“O-Oh, you do? Who..?”

 

The JYP trainee looked away from Dahyun. “Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it, Dubu.”

 

And crash. Jihyo wanted to slap herself for being an idiot. Meanwhile, Dahyun's heart broke for the second time today. Jihyo was interested in someone..? Who..?

 

“Ah... h-hey..” A voice said. The two girls turned around and saw Mina, who looked pretty sad.

 

“Oh, hey Mina!” Jihyo greeted. “I thought you were with Wonpil?”

 

“I.. was.” The Japanese girl said. “I-I got to go. Bye..”

 

The girl just left as quickly as she appeared, leaving the two best friends alone. They just sighed and went on their way.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:36 PM

 

Nayeon and Tzuyu were at the bunny girl's house, sitting on the couch. Well, more like the bunny girl was sitting on the couch, while the younger girl lied down and rested her head on her girlfriend's lap.

They were just there in silence, enjoying their time together. But then, the younger girl spoke up.

 

“Bunny...” Tzuyu said.

 

“Hmm...?” Nayeon responded.

 

“What's the first step towards an “I love you”?” The younger girl asked.

 

The bunny girl blushed. “H-Huh..?”

 

“I mean... is... that too much?”

 

“You.. love me?”

 

“I-I know it's a special thing to say at a later time... but... I-I dunno, we've been friends for so long, my feelings have been there all that time. I feel like we're at that point where an “I love you” is fine, you know?”

 

The older girl was silent, and the younger girl continued. “J-Just from what I know, usually you take it slow when you starting dating... but-”

 

Nayeon spoke up. “Hey, Tzuyu. I understand what you mean.”

 

“You do..?” Tzuyu replied. “Can... I say it? For real this time?”

 

“When you mean it, you mean it. It doesn't matter how long the time was.”

 

Tzuyu sat up and faced her girlfriend. “Nayeon... I love you.”

 

The bunny girl smiled and put a hand on Tzuyu's cheek. “I love you too.”

 

\------------------------------

 

3:41 PM

 

Jihyo sighed as she entered the car, the blonde getting in at the same time. They were parked outside a cafe, having gotten some cake pops.

 

“So.,” Dahyun replied. “Who is it that you like?

 

“Oh my gosh,” Jihyo said. “L-Like I said, it's nothing...”

 

“But why is it nothing?” The younger girl pouted. “I'm your best friend, you should tell me who it is! Maybe I could match-make you two!”

 

“...I-I don't know. I... just don't know how you would feel.”

 

“Awwww... Jihyooo please!”

 

Jihyo sighed. She dug herself into this hole, and she needed to dig herself out. She wanted to save her confession for Dahyun's birthday, which feels like an eternity from now. So... how would she handle this situation without breaking Dahyun's heart?

 

“Uh... let's make a deal,” Jihyo replied. “I tell you who I like on your birthday!”

 

“That's so long from noowww!” The blonde whined childishly. “I want to know now!”

 

“If you don't agree to this, then I'll never tell you.”

 

This shut Dahyun up quick. She felt... a bit nervous. Why is it so important that Jihyo tells her on HER birthday? How... who is it?

 

“..I guess I can wait,” Dahyun replied.

 

The JYP trainee smiled. “Thank you Dubu!”

 

There was a sudden knock on the car window, and to both of the girl's surprise, Sana was the one there.

Jihyo exited the car, Dahyun quickly following.

 

“Sana, what's going on?” Jihyo asked.

 

“I need to talk to you,” Sana replied. “Just you, Jihyo.”

 

The JYP trainee looked to her childhood friend. “I'm sorry, Dubu, will you be okay?”

 

“Of course, go on ahead.” The blonde replied.

 

Dahyun found herself getting a bit frustrated. She's noticed that Jihyo has been getting closer to Sana lately. And while that is really no problem since they're all friends, something about Sana gives her... well, she doesn't quite know, but a different vibe from all the other friends. But maybe she's just being unreasonable.

 

Sana and Jihyo went away from Dahyun, and Minatozaki sighed.

 

“I want to tell Dahyun about my past,” Sana stated.

 

“Yeah?” The JYP trainee said.

 

“You're going to be helping me, and I'd rather Dahyun not be concerned, or suspicious, or something negative, you know?” Minatozaki replied. “So... yeah, I wanna tell her.”

 

“Okay.”

 

The two girls made their way back to Dahyun.

 

“Hey! What's up?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Hey, uh... I have something to tell you. I-I think you're two were already inside that cafe, but what I'm going to tell you... you'll need to sit down.” Sana stated.

 

\------------------------------

 

After entering the cafe and sitting at one of the tables, with Dahyun and Jihyo sitting next to each other, and Sana sitting just in front of them, the Japanese girl sighed.

 

“Don't tell anyone else what I'm going to tell you, okay?” Sana said. “I need your 100% assurance.”

 

“I won't tell anyone, Sana,” Dahyun replied. “What is it?”

 

“My mother died when I was very young,” Sana replied. “A kid, actually. My father was never the same after her death... he, um, he started drinking. A lot. H-He never hit me, but... he never showed me love, and never acted like I was his daughter. It was.. so rough.. and when I turned 15... he abandoned me. That's how I ended up in Korea because my aunt lived here.”

 

There were a couple of moments of silence between the three girls before Dahyun spoke up.

 

“Sana... I'm so sorry that happened to you.” Was all Dahyun could reply. “You were so young, how did you even deal with that?”

 

“I managed, but... that's not the main reason I'm telling you this. I'm telling you this, because, well... I want to go find him.”

 

“You want to find... your father that abandoned you?” Dahyun questioned. “But why?”

 

“You wouldn't understand.” The Japanese girl replied. “All your life, you got to grow up with living parents. But for me? I never had that. None of it. I don't even REMEMBER how my mother was like. And my dad is the only parent I have left. Too much time has passed by, and I don't want to let any more pass too.”

 

“I understand. N-Not how you feel, but I understand your motive. How can I help you?” The blonde asked.

 

Minatozaki shrugged. “Just in any way you can. Seulgi, Momo, and I are going to leave for Japan by the end of the month.”

 

“I see...”

 

“Yeah...”

 

The Japanese girl looked down and just started thinking about another person who reminded her of herself: Mina. She didn't really know what was going on with Mina, but she knew the girl wasn't okay mentally. A part of her wished she knew, so she could help.

 

“Have you two seen Mina?” Sana asked.

 

“We did, but only for a second,” Jihyo replied.

 

“She.. didn't seem too well,” Dahyun added.

 

The Japanese girl sighed. “That's too bad... L-Look, I know Mina has been our friend for three years already, and it saddens me to know that we don't know much about her. I-I don't want to force her to open up but..”

 

The JYP trainee waved a hand. “I get what you mean, and Dahyun and I have been offering Mina... it's all up to her.”

 

Minatozaki sighed. “I have to go see Momo. Catch you two later?”

 

The childhood friends nodded.

 

“Okay, bye girls,” Sana said, departing the cafe.

 

\------------------------------

  
  


3:51 PM

 

Sunshine. The nice breeze. Myoui Mina lied there on her favorite spot in the forest again. She didn't want to come here, but she needed to. Today hasn't been so good for her.

 

“...Mina?” A voice called out. Mina was a bit surprised since it wasn't who she was expecting.

 

Jeongyeon stood there, just outside Mina's circle. “Are you okay?” The Japanese girl sat up and didn't say a word. The Korean girl looked around. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

 

Mina just motioned for the girl to sit next to her, but she didn't say a word.

 

The older girl made herself comfortable on the blanket, sitting next to Mina. “I.. figured I would find you here.” The Japanese girl just nodded, and Jeongyeon continued. “I texted Wonpil earlier, and he told me that you told him you needed some space. What's going on?”

 

Mina was silent.

 

“Okay, maybe you don't have to tell me right now,” Jeongyeon replied. “We can sit here for a little bit, and then you can talk to me when you're ready.”

 

\------------------------------

 

Some time had passed, and Mina spoke up. “I don't deserve him.” The Korean girl looked at her, and the Japanese girl continued. “Wonpil has so much to look forward to in life.. h-he's in DAY6, he has s-so many friends... and I'm just... me..” Mina sniffled. “H-He deserves better than s-s-some dis.. disappointment like me..”

 

Jeongyeon put a hand on Mina's shoulder. “Hey, don't say that. Wonpil doesn't think you're a disappointment. Wonpil cares so much about you. He thinks of you as so much more.”

 

The Japanese girl looked away. “I-I'm so stupid...” Jeongyeon pulled the girl into a hug. “No, you're not.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:04 PM

 

Jeongyeon had called the keyboardist, and he finally arrived. The two girls were now standing, and Wonpil immediately ran to Mina and pulled her into a hug.

 

“W-Wonpil... I-I'm so sorry..” Mina tearfully said. “It's okay,” Wonpil replied.

 

The keyboardist looked at Jeongyeon. “Thank you.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:10 PM

 

Jihyo and Dahyun had finally arrived back at JYP studios, and they could both see that Minho was ready to go, while Jisung... Jisung looked dead inside.

 

“Hey girls!” Minho replied. “Jisungie and I are ready!” The blonde giggled at this sight.

 

\------------------------------

  
  


4:21 PM.

 

The car filled with 4 arrived at the amusement, and they could see that Chaeyoung was waiting with her boyfriend outside the front. They got off and approached the two.

 

“Whoa, who's the cutie?” Minho remarked, looking at... Chaeyoung, surprisingly.

 

“Ah, that's our friend,” Jihyo replied. “Son Chaeyoung.”

 

Jisung was dead quiet, and Dahyun had an arm wrapped around his back. “Welcome to the friendzone, I'll be your guide.” The boy was dead silent. Jihyo and Minho were both way in front of the two, so Dahyun looked at the rapper. “Hey, can you keep a secret?”

 

Jisung nodded.

 

“Okay. I... love Jihyo.” The blonde admitted.

 

The boy looked at her in surprise. “Y-You love your childhood friend?” He asked.

 

“Yuupp, and I'm not sure if she feels the same!”

 

“That sucks, noona.”

 

“Sure does!”

 

“Hey there!” Jihyo said. “I'm Park Jihyo, you must be Kyungmin!”

 

“A-Ah, yes!” Kyungmin said. “I-I'm Choi Kyungmin, nice to meet you!”

 

He awkwardly bowed. Now Jihyo understood his charm.

 

“This is-”

 

“I'm Lee Minho, nice to meet you!” Minho greeted, then looked at Chaeyoung. “And you too, cutie!”

 

“I'm taken,” Chaeyoung remarked.

 

“And I'm gay!” Minho replied.

 

Kyungmin looked at him.

 

“My best friend's gay,” Kyungmin commented.

 

“Well, tell him congrats!” Minho responded.

 

“She's a girl..”

 

“Tell her congrats!”

 

Jihyo looked over to Jisung and Dahyun. “Hey, come here Dubu!” The blonde pushed Jisung ahead, and she ran to Jihyo.

 

“I'm Kim Dahyun, and that's Han Jisung.” The younger girl greeted. “I've heard a lot about you, Kyungmin! It's nice to finally meet you!”

 

“C-Chae talks about me a lot?” Kyungmin asked.

 

“Of course I do Kyungie,” Chaeyoung replied. “You ARE my boyfriend after all!”

 

The JYP trainee looked at Dahyun, who started to talk to Kyungmin. Jihyo felt stuck. She knew she was going to confess her feelings to the blonde on her birthday, but still... The anxieties haven't gone away. She's afraid she'll ruin their friendship, and she can't imagine a life without Dahyun.

 

The blonde noticed Jihyo was looking at her.

 

“Hey!” Dahyun replied, running over to her childhood friend. The older girl was a bit taken by surprise as the girl held her hand. “D-Dahyun..?”

 

The blonde smiled. “Let's go, unnie!”

 

Of course, once Dahyun came to her with her beautiful smile and her soothing voice... all of Jihyo's anxieties would go away.

 

\------------------------------

 

“...and done!”

 

“Waaahhh! I blinked! That photo looks so bad Chae!”

 

“Well, too bad!”

 

Dahyun had noticed a rollercoaster that was cool in her eyes, so she posed in front of it and had asked the oranged-haired girl to take a picture of her. Unfortunately, the photo was not good.

 

“I think you look fine, Dubu,” Jihyo replied. The blonde blushed. “A-Ah.. thank you.”

 

Chaeyoung gave Jihyo a look but then walked away.

 

“Hey, uh, actually, I have a question for you, Dahyun,” Jihyo said. “What do you want for your birthday?”

 

The blonde shrugged. “I haven't really thought about it, honestly. Whatever you get me, you know I'll be okay with.”

 

“Okay... that's good to know.”

 

“Oooo! What are you going to get me, unnie?”

 

“Not telling you.”

 

The younger girl pouted. “You're so mean!”

 

The JYP trainee laughed. “Mmhmm!”

 

\------------------------------

 

“Unnie, look!” Dahyun said, pointing at one of those booths.

 

Chaeyoung looked at where Dahyun was pointing. “Hm, that's a big teddy bear.”

 

Minho looked away. “Isn't that for carnivals..?”

 

“That's an amusement park thing too,” Jisung said bluntly.

 

“Ah, of course, Jisungie! You're so smart!”

 

“Do you want one, Dubu?” Jihyo asked.

 

The blonde looked at her. “I don't know... you're going to have to play for it!”

 

The older girl looked at the bear. “I'm sure I can just buy it off them if I offer enough money.”

 

The older girl walked towards the booth, and Kyungmin just looked. “Look, I don't think they care how much money she has, they won't- oh my gosh, did that just happen?” The JYP trainee returned with the big teddy in her arms, and she gave it to her childhood friend.

 

“Thank you unnie!” Dahyun replied, pulling her friend into a hug.

 

Chaeyoung looked at her boyfriend. “She's rich.”

 

The boy just nodded. “Ooooohhh...”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:41 PM

 

Eventually, the group had split up, leaving Jihyo and Dahyun by themselves.

 

“This isn't the worst thing to have happened.” The blonde said. “You know I love spending time with you!”

 

Jihyo wished that Dahyun didn't say the words between “I love” and “you”.

 

“Me too, Dahyun,” Jihyo replied. The blonde held her childhood friend's hand, and they continued walking.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:21 PM

 

Eventually, they all met back up at the front.

 

“Well, that was fun!” Minho said. “But Jisung and I gotta head back!”

 

“Oh, you need me to drive you back?” Jihyo asked.

 

Jisung shook his head. “No, we called Chan-hyung to come get us.”

 

The JYP trainee nodded. “Okay, see you later then!”

 

Minho and Jisung walked off, and the two childhood friends looked at the couple.

 

“See you tomorrow, Chae,” Dahyun replied. “And it was nice to meet you, Kyungmin.”

 

“Yeah, same here,” Kyungmin said.

 

Jihyo waved bye to the two and walked back to her car. The blonde followed her.

 

“Guess it's back home.” The older girl said.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 11th, 2018. 5:25 PM.

 

Momo had closed her studio for the day, but this didn't take Sana and Seulgi from visiting. The Korean girl had brought her laptop.

 

“So, why did you two come?” Momo asked. “I don't mind, but why?”

 

Seulgi smirked. “We're going to do some research on Sana's dad.”

 

“..Right.” The dance teacher replied. “I thought you didn't know his name, Sana?”

 

Minatozaki sighed. “I don't.”

 

The dance teacher looked at Seulgi. “You're... just going to write in random names?”

 

The SM trainee shrugged. “I'll just write Minatozaki and see what pops up!”

 

“Oh my gosh,” Sana remarked. “S-Seulgi, I appreciate what you're doing... but we can just start when we get there. I still remember how my old house used to look like, that's our starting point.”

 

The Korean girl looked at her. “You're assuming he's still there, but what if he isn't?”

 

Minatozaki looked away. “E-Even if he isn't, I don't care. I'll search everywhere I remember him going to.”

 

The dance teacher looked at the girl. “Even bars?”

 

Sana looked at her. “Momo...”

 

The girl sighed. “Sana, look... you say you'll give him a chance IF he's changed. And that's IF. What if he hasn't changed?”

 

“H-He will be changed. I know it.”

 

“I just don't want your heart to break again.”

 

“I understand your concern, but I'm sure that he's changed. Just have some faith, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“I think I got something!” Seulgi said. The two Japanese girls had not noticed that the Korean girl had already sat herself down, and was looking up names on her laptop.

 

“S-Seulgi!” Minatozaki said. “Are you serious?”

 

“Actually, Minatozaki is a pretty rare surname.” The Korean girl said. “A few names have come up. Let me list them... Atsuya, Daisuke, Hiroyuki, Jiichiro..”

 

“N-None of those names seem familiar,” Sana commented. “C-Can you please stop?”

 

The Korean girl continued scrolling. “Kenji, Masahi-”

 

“STOP!” Sana screamed, closing Seulgi's laptop. “S-Stop..”

 

The Korean girl just looked at her. “S-Sana..?”

 

The Japanese girl ran out of the room, leaving Momo and Seulgi.

 

“I-I was just trying to help,” Seulgi said.

 

The dance teacher sighed. “I know you are, and she knows you are. I think she just got overwhelmed.”

 

The SM trainee looked down. “I-I'll go talk to her.”

 

Seulgi left the room. She found Sana sitting down on the floor, against the wall.

 

“S-Sana..?” Seulgi called out. “I'm sorry. I was just trying to help. I-I guess I overstepped.”

 

The Japanese girl was silent but then spoke up. “I-I know... it's okay..”

 

The girl stood up. “It's just... L-Like I said, I don't know his name... and you saying all those names just made me feel worse.”

 

The SM trainee nodded. “I am sorry.” She pulled the girl into a hug.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:35 PM

 

Nayeon and Tzuyu had texted all their friends to came over to Nayeon's house, stating that they have something important to tell them. The first to arrive were Jihyo, Dahyun, and Jeongyeon. After them, followed Chaeyoung, Sana, Seulgi, and Momo. While Mina was invited, the girl was going through something, so she wasn't able to attend.

 

The two girlfriends figured they would just tell Mina on their own time.

 

“So, what is it, Nayeon?” Jihyo asked. “It seemed important.”

 

Nayeon and Tzuyu both shared looks at each other, and then looked at their friends.

 

“Okay, so.,” Tzuyu replied. “I hope this isn't too sudden for you girls..”

 

Tzuyu held Nayeon's hand.

 

“Tzuyu and I are in a relationship,” Nayeon replied.

 

They were met with an overwhelming amount of supporting words from their friends.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:15 PM

 

Eventually, all the other girls had left, leaving Nayeon and Tzuyu by themselves.

 

“That went great,” Nayeon replied. The younger girl went into the bedroom, and the bunny girl followed.

 

Tzuyu threw herself onto the bed. “I'm glad we told them, bunny, don't get me wrong... I-I'm just worried they'll be annoying about it.”

 

The bunny girl sat down on the bed next to Tzuyu. “Don't worry, honey, I'm sure they'll treat us the same.”

 

The younger girl looked up at her. “You're so beautiful, Nayeon. How did I get so lucky?”

 

The bunny girl smiled at her. “I feel the same about you every day.”

 

\------------------------------

 

May 28th, 7:51 AM

 

The two childhood friends were still asleep in bed together, cuddling. The older girl slowly started to wake up and saw Dahyun in her sight.

 

Today was the day, she thought. She was finally going to confess her feelings to Dahyun. She knew that at the end of the day, things were going to be forever changed.

 

She just hopes it's for the best. The older girl smiled. “Hey, good morning.”

 

The blonde slowly stirred, waking up. “...ahh... right..” Jihyo sat up from her position, and the younger girl positioned herself to be lying on her back. The older girl kissed her on the cheek. “Happy birthday, Dahyun.”

 

The blonde smiled at her and sat up and stretched. “Thank you. I'm really looking forward to today.” The older girl nodded. “Me too.”

 

The younger girl took her phone from the bedstand. “I have a good feeling about today.”

 

You have no idea, Jihyo thought.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**~~Kim Dahyun has added Kang Seulgi to the chat!~~**

 

**Nayeon: Wow about time lmao**

 

**Tzuyu: aye**

 

**Seulgi: @MinatozakiSana I'm a cool kid now!**

 

**Sana: Don't @ me.**

 

**Dahyun: well, it's my birthday, and since it's such a special day, I've decided to give Seulgi a special gift!**

 

**Seulgi: Thank you. Happy birthday btw**

 

**Jihyo: Dahyun! Happy Birthday!**

 

**Chaeyoung: Happy birthday bestie!**

 

**Momo: Happy birthday Dahyun!**

 

**Sana: Happy birthday**

 

**Nayeon: Happy birthday from Tzuyu and I**

 

**Tzuyu: yeah, happy birthday girl!**

 

**Jeongyeon: happy birthday you lesbian**

 

**Dahyun: aw thanks <3**

 

**Jeongyeon: Mina isn't here right now, but I can already tell you she says happy birthday.**

 

**~~Myoui Mina is now online~~**

 

**Mina: Happy birthday.**

 

**Dahyun: Thank you, Mina, that means a lot coming from you.**

 

**Mina: <3**

 

**Nayeon: aw that's so wholesome!**

 

**~~Myoui Mina is now offline~~**

 

**Tzuyu: And she's gone**

 

**Chaeyoung: at least she texted! That's so good!**

 

**Jeongyeon: so when's the party?**

 

**Dahyun: more like friend get together**

 

**Jihyo: yeah lol**

 

**Jihyo: Dahyun and I decided to just keep it cool this year**

 

**Jeongyeon: thank god**

 

**Jeongyeon: If I had to do some stupid shit, I'd be out.**

 

**Nayeon: lol ok nice**

 

\------------------------------

 

8:05 AM

 

The two childhood friends had changed and were now in the living room.

 

“So, Dahyun...” Jihyo said. “Do you want to know what your gift is?”

 

The blonde faced her. “Mmm, what is it?”

 

“You'll see soon. I don't think it's the time JUST yet.”

 

The younger girl pouted. “Then why'd you tease me right now?”

 

The JYP trainee got up. “Mmm, just to know~~”

 

Dahyun looked at Jihyo. All month long she's been waiting to see WHO Jihyo liked, and why she waited until now to tell her. The blonde had prepared herself, of course. She knew that once Jihyo told her, her heart would be broken, but that's okay. As long as Jihyo was happy, then she'll be happy.

 

The older girl started to cook some food. While Dahyun turned the T.V. on. There was a lot to look forward, and yet Jihyo was all on her mind. The blonde didn't even pay attention to time passing by, so the next thing she knew, Jihyo had placed a plate of bulgogi in front of the younger girl.

 

“Heeyyy,” Jihyo said. “Earth to Dubu?”

 

The blonde girl snapped out of it. “A-Ah, thank you..”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:31 AM

 

Since Tzuyu was at school, the bunny girl was home alone. Instead of just being alone, she decided to go out and do something.

 

\------------------------------

 

9:52 AM

 

Eventually, Nayeon had found herself at the movie theaters. Not like she could do anything while her girlfriend was gone, so why not kill some time watching a movie.

 

Of course, it wasn't that easy. Her life never was. As she entered the lobby, she noticed someone very familiar. Lee Yeojin, her ex-girlfriend who has older than her. The bunny girl hoped the other girl wouldn't notice her, but to no luck.

 

“Heeyyy!” Yeojin said, waving at Nayeon. “You, come here!”

 

The bunny girl sighed and walked over to her.

 

“I wasn't expecting to see you here, Nayie,” Yeojin replied. “How are you doing?”

 

“Y-You're still saying that?” Nayeon asked.

 

Of course, their break up wasn't BAD, per se. They had split on mutual terms. Didn't save Nayeon from the heartbreak though.

 

“Well, of course. Like I asked, how are you doing?”

 

“...Fine.” Nayeon replied. “I was going to see a movie.”

 

The older girl's eyes lit up. “Which movie!?”

 

The bunny girl looked at her. “A-Ah... I don't know.”

 

Yeojin smiled at her. “Well, you could watch a movie with me! It could be like old times!”

 

“N-Not like old times,” Nayeon replied. She looked away, but then remembered something. “I have a girlfriend now.”

 

Yeojin nodded. “Okay, cool. Well, me too. Why is it important? We're just going to watch a movie like friends!”

 

The bunny girl sighed. “Before we started dating?”

 

The ex-girlfriend nodded. “Mmhmm!”

 

“I.. guess I can live with that,” Nayeon replied. “Then let's go... Let me just text my girlfriend.”

 

“Oh, where is she anyway?” Yeojin asked.

 

The bunny girl pulled out her phone. “At school.”

 

The older girl raised an eyebrow. “Ah, a younger girl, hm? I thought older girls were your type.”

 

“Um, long story short: I'm seeing a movie with my ex-girlfriend. And PLEASE don't worry about it. The moment she tries anything, I'm walking out of there.” Nayeon texted her girlfriend, then looked back at her ex.

 

“I never said I had a type, did I?”

 

“Mmm... You never said you did, but you really did like calling me mo-”

 

“DON'T mention that!” Nayeon snapped. “T-That was so long ago, Yeojin!”

 

The ex-girlfriend analyzed her. “Yeah, you definitely seem a bit tight. Have you not... you know?”

 

The younger girl looked away, a bit upset. “Last time was with you, six years ago..”

 

Yeojin smiled. “Aahhh! That's so interesting!”

 

The bunny girl was almost glaring at her now. “Can we stop talking about that? I don't want to remember those times.”

 

Yeojin's smile went away. “Ah, I see.”

 

And then Nayeon embarked on the most awkward 2 hours of her life.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:50 PM

 

Nayeon and Tzuyu had finally found time to just settle down, and talk.

 

“What even is your ex's name?” Tzuyu asked. “Both of them, not just the girl.”

 

“Ah,” Nayeon replied. “I-I don't remember my boyfriend that much... I think his name was Haesung, but I don't remember his last name... oh wait, it was Seok Haesung. And my recent ex is Lee Yeojin.”

 

The younger girl sighed. “I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather you have seen your boyfriend than your girlfriend.”

 

The bunny girl sighed. “No, trust me, I'm not happy with this turn of events. I kept in contact with Yeojin for a few months after we broke up, but eventually, it sorta faded out. There were the occasional texts then and there, but I felt we stopped talking about a year ago.”

 

“And of course, right when you're happy with me, your ex just suddenly turns up,” Tzuyu remarked. “Ugh, it feels like one of those stories where the writers inserts the ex for no reason other than drama..”

 

“No, trust me, I won't let Yeojin do anything,” Nayeon replied. “I love you, Tzuyu. And only you, okay? You have my heart, and I won't let you go.”

 

The younger girl smiled. “Thank you, Nayeon... I feel better.”

 

\------------------------------

 

6:01 PM

 

Back at Jihyo's house, they prepared the house for the get-together. The older girl cooked food, while the younger girl cleaned up the house. Right as they finished, they heard a knock. Jihyo opened the door, and saw Wonpil, with Mina right behind him.

 

“Hey, I hope I'm not intruding,” Wonpil replied.

 

The older girl smiled at him. “No, you're just fine. Come in.”

 

The two entered the house, while Jihyo shut the down behind them. Wonpil looked at Dahyun. “Happy birthday.”

 

The blonde smiled at him. “Thank you.”

 

The keyboardist pulled out a key from his pocket. “I got you a little something.”

 

The blonde took it out of his hands. “What is it?”

 

Wonpil looked at Jihyo, who nodded. “My father owns a little church, and inside it is this amazing piano. He hasn't done anything with it, and he's handed me the access to it.”

 

“Wait.,” Dahyun replied. “This..”

 

Wonpil nodded. “That's the key to the church. You can enter the church, and play the piano from there. You have legal access to.”

 

“Oh my gosh.” The blonde said, looking up at him. “T-Thank you so much!” She hugged him. Mina just smiled lightly at this.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:28 PM

 

Eventually, all of their friends had arrived. While everyone was talking, Chaeyoung had asked Dahyun to meet her outside.

 

“What is it, Chae?” Dahyun asked.

 

The orange-haired girl looked at her. “Dahyun... you have to tell Jihyo.”

 

“C-Chaeyoung...”

 

“It's been too long, you know? You've hidden your feelings for FAR too long. You have to tell her.”

 

“I-I can't.”

 

“It's hurting me to see you hurt, Dahyun!”

 

The blonde was taken aback, and the orange-haired girl continued.

 

“I see you, how you've been acting recently. When Jihyo came out as bisexual, the pain in your eyes was as obvious as ever. I care for you, Dahyun, and to see you treat yourself like this... it hurts me.”

 

“C-Chaeyoung..” Dahyun replied.

 

The orange-haired girl looked at her. “I know you're in a better place now than you were so many years ago. But... seeing you now, it reminds me SO MUCH of past you, and... that scares me. If you don't tell Jihyo now, you're going to fall back into that hole. Please, Dahyun. You need to tell her, for you.”

 

The blonde was quiet. “Chaeyoung..”

 

Jihyo exited the house. “Oh! Sorry, was I interrupting something?”

 

The orange-haired girl looked at Dahyun, then at Jihyo. “No, I think I'm done with her anyways.”

 

Chaeyoung went back into the house, while Jihyo approached Dahyun. “Hey, Dahyun, you okay?” The blonde looked at her friend. Jihyo... finally saw it. How did she not notice it? She could see it in Dahyun's eyes.

 

The younger girl just hugged her best friend. “Jihyo..” The older girl hugged her back. “Hey, it's okay. You know I'm here for you. I was here for you back then, and I'll be here for you now.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:41 PM

 

After spending the next hour spending time with their friends, Dahyun's party was coming to a wrap.

Everyone else had left, besides Chaeyoung, Nayeon, and Tzuyu.

 

Chaeyoung approached Dahyun. “Dahyun-” The blonde hugged her. “You're right, Chae. You're right.”

Nayeon and Tzuyu were talking to Jihyo.

 

“How did you know?” Jihyo asked. “I-I mean when was the right time to confess?”

 

Tzuyu shrugged. “It just came naturally, honestly.”

 

Nayeon nodded. “She's right. When you know the time is right, you just gotta do it. Why do you ask?”

 

The older girl sighed. “I just wanted to know.”

 

And with that, the two girlfriends and the orange-haired girl left. Jihyo and Dahyun sat on the couch. The older girl looked at the sky outside and noticed the sun was setting.

 

“Dahyun, can you come with me outside?” Jihyo asked.

 

This was it. This was the moment of truth. Jihyo had been waiting patiently all day for this moment. The sun was setting, and now it was time for the older girl to tell Dahyun her feelings. Her heart pounded the loudest she's ever heard it, but she knew she needed to do this. Everything was going to change.

 

Jihyo walked outside, holding Dahyun's hand. She looked at the sunset.

 

“What's up, unnie?” Dahyun asked. Jihyo looked back at her friend and faced her.

 

“You know how I always mention the sunset?” Jihyo replied. “The sunset. It's so relaxing, and it just... makes me forget all my stresses. At the end of a hard day, I remember that the sunset is there to help me calm down.”

 

Dahyun nodded. “I know..”

 

The older girl sighed. “You've been wanting to know who I like for a long time now... I'm going to tell you.”

 

Jihyo pointed at the sunset. “The sunset. I like the sunset.” The blonde was a bit confused but waited to see if the girl would continue. “Sometimes when I get scared, and bad thoughts start coming to me... I remember the sunset. And then, I feel happy. All those bad thoughts go away.”

 

Jihyo looked at her best friend. “I love the sunset. And Dahyun... You're my sunset.” The blonde's heart skipped a beat. “Jihyo?”

 

“Like I said, when I have bad times..” Jihyo replied. “I remember the sunset. I remember you. When I see your smile and hear your laugh... I get reminded that everything will be okay. Because you're my sunset. You're the beautiful sight I look forward to at the end of the day.”

 

The blonde was still silent. “You..?” Jihyo smiled at her. “I love you, Dahyun. We've been together for so many years, and I feel like a fool for just now realizing it... but it's true. I love you, Kim Dahyun. I love you and only you.”

 

Dahyun didn't notice it until she felt Jihyo wipe her tears away, but she was crying.

 

“Y-You.. love me?” Dahyun replied. “Y-You really love me, Jihyo?”

 

“You're the love of my life,” Jihyo replied.

 

The blonde smiled at her. “I... I love you too, Jihyo. My god, I love you so much.”

 

So many emotions Dahyun felt all in one moment. But one thing that stuck with her: She felt like she could finally breathe again. Jihyo.. the love of her life, loves her back. All those years of bottling up her feelings were over. Every single night filled with tears were no more. Dahyun was no longer drowning because Jihyo had pulled her out. Jihyo loves Dahyun.

 

The younger girl pulled Jihyo into a tight hug. “I-I love you... I love you so much, Jihyo.” Jihyo hugged her back. “I love you too.”

 

“I-I've loved you since the moment I met you,” Dahyun said. Jihyo pulled away. “That's a long time. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.”

 

The blonde wiped her tears away. “It's okay, because you're here with me now, and that's all that matters.”

 

The JYP trainee smiled at her now girlfriend. “Shall we go inside?”

 

“Yes, please,” Dahyun replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 29th, 2018. 8:21 AM

 

Jihyo was awake, but Dahyun will still asleep. Instead of just leaving her alone, she stayed there in bed with her, just looking at the girl. This is her girlfriend. Kim Dahyun, her childhood friend, is the love of her life.

 

Jihyo knew things were going to be changed forever, and she's glad it ended up this way.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:32 AM.

 

The blonde slowly woke up.

 

“Good morning, my love,” Jihyo said, kissing the girl on the cheek. The blonde smiled. “So.. it wasn't a dream?”

 

The older girl smiled. “Not a dream. Let me make it feel more real.. I love you, Dahyun.”

 

Dahyun pulled the girl into a hug. “I love you too.”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:21 PM

 

Sana was inside her house, packing up important things into her suitcase. While they weren't going to leave until the 31st, she didn't want to waste any time when the day came. She wanted to make sure they left as soon as possible.

 

She heard a knock on her door, so she opened it.

 

“Oh, hey, Momo,” Sana said. “What brings you here?”

 

The dance teacher surveyed the room. “You're.. packing already?”

 

The younger girl nodded. “I want to leave as soon as possible.”

 

Momo entered the house. “I just wanted to tell you, Sana... I'm going to be there for you, every step of the way.”

 

“I know, Momo. Thank you.”

“Also, I think we need to tell everyone that we're leaving soon. You don't have to mention your dad, just that we're leaving.”

 

Sana sighed. “Yeah, I get it.”

 

\------------------------------

 

3:41 PM

 

Jihyo was cooking, while Dahyun sat on the chair next to the kitchen island.

 

“Do you want to tell our friends?” Dahyun asked. “O-Or should we wait?”

 

“Let's take it slow, Dahyun,” Jihyo replied. “I kind of want to enjoy it being us two for a little, and then we can tell them.”

 

“I think Nayeon and Tzuyu did the same thing too.” The blonde thought out loud. “That's okay!”

 

The older girl looked at her girlfriend. “I love you. Dahyun, just stay being you, okay? I love that about you.”

 

The blonde blushed. “Thank you...” Jihyo set a bowl of rice in front of Dahyun, and the blonde looked at her. “When.. when did you realize you were in love with me?”

 

The older girl bit her lip, trying to remember all the details. “When I kissed you for the first time on the cheek.”

 

“T-That was a long time ago!” Dahyun replied. “You waited so long to tell me! You're so meeeeeaannn!”

 

The older girl giggled. “H-Hey! I was scared, okay? I... didn't think you'd feel the same way.”

 

The blonde fell silent. “No, I understand. I... thought you wouldn't feel the same way too.”

 

The older girl sighed. “Honestly, I found out I was bisexual because of you, Dahyun.”

 

The blonde looked at her. “A-Ah... that's... nice to know.”

 

Dahyun closed her eyes. For the first time, Dahyun could truly see the future: Her, with the love of her life, Jihyo.

 

\------------------------------

 

May 31st, 2018. 4:21 PM

 

Sana, Momo, and Seulgi had told the group yesterday that they'd be leaving for Japan, and now today was the day. All 11 were at the airport.

 

“Hey, good luck, Sana,” Jihyo said, hugging the girl.

 

“Good luck? Ain't they just leaving for Japan?” Nayeon remarked, then she looked at her girlfriend. “Babe, what do you think?”

 

“Ugh, I can't believe you're THAT couple.” Jeongyeon groaned.

 

“Mmmm, how sad for you, Jeongyeon,” Nayeon replied, kissing Tzuyu on the cheek.

 

“I liked how you had to get on your tippy-toes,” Jeongyeon remarked. “It's hilarious.”

 

The bunny girl scoffed. “How rude! You're-!”

 

“Geez, stop arguing you two,” Tzuyu replied. “Bunny, I expect better out of you.”

 

“Why is Tzuyu sounding like a top right now,” Dahyun remarked. Jihyo, having pulled away from her hug, hit her lightly on the shoulder. “Don't be inappropriate, Dahyun.”

 

All three of the Japan travelers had their luggage ready to go.

 

“Well, we have to go now,” Sana said. “We don't want to miss our flight.”

 

Mina nodded. “H-Hey... I... have a request for you three.”

 

Minatozaki looked at the girl. “Anything, Mina.”

 

The girl was silent. “Can.. you check if Funakoshi's School of Ballet is open?” Wonpil looked at her, then back at the three girls.

 

“Uh, sure,” Sana replied. “I'll text you if I see it.”

 

Mina nodded. “Thank you.”

 

After all the friends said and hugged their goodbyes, the three girls then left into the airport.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:45 PM

 

Sana, Momo, and Seulgi had bought seats for all of them to be sitting together. The plane started to take off, and Sana looked to the side.

 

Minatozaki just thought about the next couple of days. She had a feeling that everything was going to change.

 

She just hoped, truly, that it was going to be for the best.


	12. Girls Like Us

June 3rd, 2018. 1:31 PM.

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: Sana, how's Japan been treating you?**

 

**Sana: That's the third day in a row you've asked the same question.**

 

**Jihyo: Third day in a row with the same response?**

 

**Sana: Yes. I've quite missed Japan food.**

 

**Jeongyeon: Tbh I kinda wish Mina went with you three.**

 

**Seulgi: why's that?**

 

**Jeongyeon: idk I just feel like she needs a new change of setting.**

 

**Wonpil: Mina's told me that she's fine being where she is.**

 

**Seulgi: holy shit when did you join the chat.**

 

**Wonpil: Jihyo added me yesterday?**

 

**Nayeon: lol read the fucking logs sailfish**

 

**Seulgi: excuse me WHAT THE FUCK**

 

**Nayeon: I MEANT SEULGI**

 

**Nayeon: GOD DAMN AUTOCORRECT**

 

**Chaeyoung: NAIADHBSUASIJDAIHS HAHAHA I'M DYING**

 

**Tzuyu: NAYEON HOW**

 

**Nayeon: I DON'T KNOW!?**

 

**~~Im Nayeon has changed Kang Seulgi's nickname to Sailfish~~**

 

**Sailfish: NOT COOL**

 

**Jihyo: I didn't know you could do that**

 

**Dahyun: um excuse me nayeon that's abusing your admin**

 

**Sailfish: yeah fuck you nayeon**

 

**~~Kim Dahyun has reset Kang Seulgi's nickname~~**

 

**Seulgi: Much better**

 

**Momo: Anyone notice that it says our full names at the logs, but yet when we chat it's just our first names?**

 

**Dahyun: username/nickname difference**

 

**Seulgi: ok wait hold on**

 

**FuckYouNayeon: ah much better**

 

**Nayeon: Sorry hunnie I have a girlfriend**

 

**Seulgi: smh**

 

**Tzuyu: what the hell**

 

**Sana: anyways gotta go**

 

**Momo: yeah bye**

 

**Seulgi: peace**

 

\------------------------------

 

1:45 PM.

 

For a change, Mina... was at Momo's dance studio. While the dance teacher had left for Japan, she gave Mina a gift: The keys to her studio. Mina wondered why, and at first, she didn't want to go. Eventually, a few days had passed, and now she decided to check out Momo's studio.

 

As she entered, she noted the place was dark. Which made sense, considering it hasn't been opened. Instead of flicking the light switch, she just turned her phone flashlight on and walked to the elevator. She pressed the button to go to the second floor and waited. Once she had arrived, she walked around the second floor, until stopping at a door. She entered and saw the room was also dark.

 

She turned on the lights and saw the room had mirrors all over the place.

 

“This.. is her dance room,” Mina said to nobody in particular, she looked around the room. “Why... did she want me to go here?” She called the dance teacher, putting her on speaker.

 

“ **Oh, hey, this is unexpected? Is this about that ballet place? Sorry, we haven't been looking! We could find it for you soon, though!** ” Momo said.

 

The younger girl spoke up. “Ah, no... I-I'm at your dance studio, and... I'm wondering why you wanted me to go here..”

 

The dance teacher was silent but then spoke up. “ **Ah, right! I totally forgot about that! I don't know, I just thought maybe you would want to use it someday.** ”

 

Mina was quiet, looking at herself in the mirror. “Use.. it?”

 

She could hear the older girl saying something, but couldn't quite make it out, then she spoke clearly. “ **Of course! Something always told me you had a thing for music! You could practice a song here!** ” The younger girl was silent.

 

“I-I appreciate the thought... but I don't... have any need to use this studio.,” Mina replied.

 

The dance teacher was silent but then spoke up. “ **Oh, okay! That's fine! Before you leave, please make sure all the lights are off, and then lock the door!** ” And with that, Momo hung up. The girl continued staring at her reflection.

 

“W-What..?” Mina said. “W..Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

Mina looked away and sighed. She did give up ballet because she didn't enjoy it, that remained true. But the thought of using this dance studio... excited her a bit. The girl didn't know what exactly she could use it for, but to have an entirely new building all to herself... she liked that.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:51 PM.

 

Jihyo was at JYP studios, once again practicing a song in one of the dance rooms. She heard a knock.

 

“Come in.” She said. To her surprise, it wasn't the usual suspects. “A-Ah, sunbae, I wasn't expecting to see you here!”

 

For some reason she didn't know, Im Jaebum, leader of GOT7, had entered the room.

 

“Ah, I must have gotten the wrong room,” Jaebum said. “So sorry, Jihyo.”

 

“You.. heard me say come in?” Jihyo replied. The leader nodded. “So I did.” The JYP trainee looked at him a bit funny. “...Is there something I can do for you, sunbae?”

 

The leader sighed. “I feel a bit funny, asking you.. but you've been here the longest, so... Do you have any tips on how to catch an audience?” The girl looked just... fell silent. “You're kinda weird, sunbae.”

 

Jaebum scratched the back of his head. “Yugyeom wanted me to ask that question. Hey, but it is true. You've been here the longest. Do.. you ever think you'll get your debut?”

 

The girl was silent. “I hope soon, honestly. Hey, by the way, Look was really good.”

 

The leader nodded. “Thank you.”

 

“Loved that song, by the way,” Jihyo replied. Jaebum smiled at her. “Thank you. Hey, just know that everyone's rooting for you. When you get your debut, I'll make sure we throw a big party just for you!”

 

“I appreciate it,” Jihyo responded. The leader left the room. She continued practicing, while the words “everyone's rooting for you.” kept on playing in her head.

 

Jihyo's going to be a star, she just knows it.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:26 PM

 

“Wow, that actually is impressive!”

 

“I can't believe we've been friends forever and you're JUST now finding this out, unnie.”

 

“There's still another one though, can you find it?”

 

“...In that bush.”

 

“W-Whaaattt?! You didn't peek, right?

 

“W-Why would I peek!? Y-You're so meeeeaaann!”

 

Recently, Dahyun had address an.. interesting talent of hers. She could find cameras, no matter where they were. Hidden camera? Found in an instant. Jihyo initially doubted this and tested the younger girl. Of course, Dahyun found all her cameras.

 

“And all of them are recording?” The blonde asked. The older girl nodded. “Mmmhmm!” The younger girl took the camera out of the bush. “Why do you have so many cameras anyways? I don't remember them..”

 

“Ah, they're my sister's,” Jihyo replied. “They used them a lot... but I guess they didn't care enough to take them.” The younger girl looked into the camera roll. “Wow, these pictures are really old!”

 

“How old?” The JYP trainee asked. The blonde looked at the date. “...2012.” The older girl approached her. “2012, huh... Dubu, are you okay?”

 

“...Ah, it's nothing.” Dahyun said, handing the girl the camera. Jihyo knew why Dahyun was acting this way, of course.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_May 14_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2012._ **

 

**_“S-Sweetie..?”_ **

 

**_“...”_ **

 

**_“Come out of your room, please?”_ **

 

**_“....”_ **

 

**_“Dahyun please, it's time for breakfast.”_ **

 

**_“Miss Kim, can I try? Maybe she'll come out for me.”_ **

 

**_“A-Ah, Jisoo... I don't know.”_ **

 

**_“Dahyun, can you come out please?”_ **

 

**_They heard footsteps, and the door swung open. The younger and black-haired Dahyun stared at them._ **

 

**_“J-Jisoo-unnie... I didn't think you would be here...”_ **

 

**_“Of course I would be here, Dubu! You know I'm always here for you!”_ **

 

**_“....”_ **

 

**_“S-Sweetie, I need you to eat.” Dahyun's mom said._ **

 

**_“I'm not hungry.”_ **

 

**_She gripped Jisoo's hand, and pulled the girl into the room, shutting her door._ **

 

**_“S-Sweetie, please..” Dahyun's mother said weakly, before just giving up and leaving._ **

 

**_Dahyun threw herself onto the bed, and Jisoo stared sadly._ **

 

**_“Dubu..”_ **

 

**_“I know what you're thinking. You probably don't understand, right? Oh, why is Dahyun like this? Why is Dahyun acting so strange!?”_ **

 

**_“I-I would never, Dahyun! You know that I'm here for you!”_ **

 

**_“...but why?”_ **

 

**_“Huh?”_ **

 

**_“Why are you here for me? Why do you care so much about me? I don't deserve it.”_ **

 

**_“Dahyun, no..!”_ **

 

**_“No, it's true.”_ **

 

**_“Don't say that, okay? You deserve all the love in the world!”_ **

 

**_The older girl got on the bed and pulled her best friend into a hug._ **

 

**_“...it doesn't feel like it.”_ **

 

**_“Dubu, please...”_ **

 

**_“....i'm so sorry.”_ **

 

**_“It's okay.”_ **

 

**_“i-i'm so s-sorry...”_ **

 

\------------------------------

 

June 3rd, 2018. 3:36 PM.

 

“It hurts to think about it.” The blonde said. “Just... all of it.”

 

“And with Mina...” The JYP trainee stated.

 

“Yeah. Mina.”

 

“I really want to help her. No word in the world can describe just how much I want to help Mina.”

 

“I do, too. I can see it in her eyes, how much she's been through. How much she's hurting.”

 

“And then Sana with her dad..” The older girl said. “God, poor Sana..”

 

“At least she's looking for him, now,” Dahyun replied. “It's better than nothing.”

 

“I'm just so sad. Mina... Sana... They're wonderful girls, you know? Amazing girls with such beautiful souls, and yet... they've gone through so much pain. It's not fair, Dahyun. They don't deserve it.”

 

“There's also Nayeon..” The blonde said. “W-With her parents.”

 

“...I wish we've had this conversation sooner.” The JYP trainee sighed. “I just... it feels so weird talking about it now, you know?”

 

“Sometimes it's good to talk about things, no matter the timing.”

 

“I know... I'm just getting sad, and then.. my mind starts trailing to dark places..”

 

“What.. kind of dark places, Jihyo?” The blonde asked.

 

“...Death.” Jihyo replied. “Just... death.”

 

“Death...? Of who? Your family?” The younger girl asked.

 

“Just... everyone.” The older girl responded. “My parents.. my sisters... y-you..” The JYP trainee sighed. “My god, I don't know what I would do without you, Dahyun.”

 

“You don't have to worry about that. I'm going to be here for you, forever.”

 

“Until the end? Our end, together?”

 

“Together forever,” Dahyun replied.

 

“...I like that.” Jihyo commented. “Together forever..”

 

“It's a promise.” The blonde said. “Make that promise to me too, Jihyo. You won't leave me, you'll stick with me until our forever ends.”

 

“Y-Yes, Dahyun.” The older girl replied. “I'll be with you, until the end.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:39 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were sitting on the couch, the younger girl resting her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

 

“I just now realized something,” Jihyo said. “Jeongyeon..?”

 

“Jeongyeon..?” Dahyun said.

 

“Did she know that you're in love with me?” The older girl asked.

 

“Mmmmaybe.”

 

“That explains so much. And I just thought she was just being, well, weird.”

 

“Almost everyone knew about my feelings for you.” The younger girl said. “Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, Sana, Momo, Seulgi... mmm, I'm sure Nayeon and Tzuyu figured it out on their own, too.”

 

“W-Wow.,” Jihyo replied. “That's... a bit embarrassing for me.”

 

“Sana once said you were dumb when it came to love. It... was a bit funny, now that I think of it.”

 

“Aw, that's so mean of her. Sana's so rude!”

 

“She compared you to a harem anime protagonist.”

 

“She must have gone all in, jeez.”

 

“Meh, she didn't say that much.” The younger girl replied. “That's all she said.”

 

“Still, how rude.” The older girl said, crossing her arms and pouting.

 

“You're so cute, Jihyo.” Dahyun complimented.

 

The older girl immediately started to blush. “A-Ah, thank you.”

 

The younger girl planted a kiss on Jihyo's cheek, getting an even brighter blush from the older girl. “Y-You're making moves, huh..”

 

“Hey, you're the one who kissed me first.” The blonde said. “Just paying it back.”

 

“I... suppose you're right.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:25 PM

 

The three girls that went to Japan had set up their “base” at a fancy hotel. There was no real reason for choosing a fancy hotel, besides Momo stating that “we have a lot of money, let's just spend it!”

 

Anyways, the three girls were inside a rented car, driving around Osaka.

 

“So, do you girls even know where Mina was at before she headed to Korea?” Seulgi replied. “Did a google search on Funakoshi's, and uh... that's in Kobe.”

 

“W-WHAT!?” Sana yelled. Momo was driving but was still startled by Sana. “Huuuhhh? Kobe?!”

 

“Uh.. it ain't that far,” Seulgi replied. “Don't gotta be so overdramatic.”

 

“N-No, I know.” The younger Japanese girl said. “It's just... we still haven't found my dad yet, and I-I don't want a window of opportunity to go by.” The Korean girl sighed. “Then maybe I'll go take a picture of it myself.”

 

“Wait, you're going to go get a car?” Minatozaki asked. The SM trainee nodded. “Don't see why not. You girls can continue searching for Sana's dad, and I'll go send Mina a picture of Funakoshi's.”

 

“Well, guess we'll drive you to the rental, then,” Sana said. “Right, Momo?”

 

The dance teacher nodded.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:51 PM.

 

After a long drive, Seulgi had finally arrived at the destination: Funakoshi's School of Ballet. She parked the car and stood in front of the entrance.

 

“Huh,” Seulgi replied. “Place is... pretty old. Wonder why Mina was attracted to this.”

 

The Korean girl pulled out her phone and flipped it horizontally. She took a few pictures of the school and then sent it to Mina.

 

“That's a very nice phone you got there.” A woman said, approaching the Korean girl.

 

“Ah, thanks,” Seulgi replied.

 

“You don't seem like you're from here, yet your Japanese is very good.” The woman said.

 

“Well, my friends are Japanese.” The Korean girl said.

 

The woman looked at the dance school. “My daughter used to go here.”

 

“Used to?” Seulgi asked. “Did she graduate?”

 

“Well, I wish she did.” The woman replied. “She left a bit early, earlier than I wanted, to be honest.”

 

“That's pretty sad.” The Korean girl responded. “Were you fine with it?”

 

“Well, it was her decision, after all.” The woman said. “As her Mom, it's my duty to love my daughter, no matter what.”

 

“That's pretty nice,” Seulgi replied.

 

“So, what does bring you here to this school?” The woman asked.

 

“My friend Mina wanted me to check this place out.” The SM trainee replied. “I.. wonder why.”

 

“Perhaps she used to be a student here, too.” The woman replied. “Oh, sorry. I guess I must be holding you up, huh?”

 

“No, it's cool.” The Korean girl replied. “Um, bye.”

 

She left, a little freaked out.

 

\------------------------------

 

**Conversation with: Myoui Mina**

 

**Mina: So the place is still open after all?**

 

**Seulgi: yup**

 

**Seulgi: some weird lady came to me and started speaking about her daughter and shit**

 

**Seulgi: gave me the fucking heeby jeebies**

 

**Seulgi: so, why'd you want to see the place anyway?**

 

**Mina: No reason, really.**

 

**Seulgi: Let me ask again.**

 

**Seulgi: Why did you want to see the ballet school, Mina?**

 

**Mina: I...**

 

**Mina: I should have expected this from you, to be honest.**

 

**Mina: Guess I should tell you...**

 

**Mina: I used to be a student there**

 

**Seulgi: I figured that out, but it's good to hear confirmation.**

 

**Mina: Oh.**

 

\------------------------------

 

6:01 PM

 

Mina didn't know why. Why was she panicking like this? Seulgi just mentioned a random lady. It could have been anyone.

 

Yet the only person on her mind was her mother. She could still see the woman's look of disgust on her face when she told her she wanted to leave for Korea. She still remembers the sound of the woman's shrill screams at night when she would argue with Mina's father about her decision.

 

Mina... remembers everything. It's no wonder she would react this way. But over some random lady..?

 

She felt like an idiot. She really did.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:27

 

By a pure miracle, Mina had finally calmed down. She just sat there in complete silence, the only noise being the occasional whine from Chichi.

 

“ **Yo! Earth to Myoui!?** ” Mina's phone screen turned on, showing a text from Seulgi

 

\------------------------------

 

**Conversation with: Kang Seulgi**

 

**Seulgi: yo girl you just ditched this joint**

 

**Mina: joint?**

 

**Seulgi: I was still talking to you girl**

 

**Mina: oh sorry**

 

**Seulgi: so, yeah, how long were you at Funakoshi's?**

 

**Mina: a few years.**

 

**Seulgi: ah, so you stopped going?**

 

**Mina: yeah.**

 

**Mina: ballet just wasn't for me**

 

**Seulgi: I thought the same about singing**

 

**Seulgi: turns out it was just my style**

 

**Mina: even if I wanted to do ballet again...**

 

**Mina: there's too much...**

 

**Mina: too many memories in it**

 

**Seulgi: I wonder if you would be telling me this much if we were face to face.**

 

**Mina: ….I don't think I would**

 

**Seulgi: it's so much easier to spill your feelings through a phone screen.**

 

**Mina: I.. guess you're right.**

 

**Seulgi: Anyways, if you need anyone to talk to, I'm right here**

 

**Seulgi: considering that Sana and Momo are basically a buddy-cop duo right now, I really could use someone to talk to.**

 

**Mina: Thank you, Seulgi.**

 

\------------------------------

 

6:34

 

Mina has had a lot of people willing to help her. But Seulgi of all people.. it was definitely interesting to her. She liked that, actually. Seulgi is a unique taste, a fresh sense of variety. She wondered where this friendship could lead.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 4th, 2018. 9:21 AM.

 

Dahyun woke up in bed, Jihyo having her arms wrapped around her. God, she loved this feeling. To hear Jihyo's breathing, to feel her warmth... everything. She loved everything about Park Jihyo, who she is, and what she does. Everything.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_May 21_ ** **_st_ ** **_, 2012. 5:51 PM_ **

 

**_School had just ended for the girls, and Jisoo immediately brought Dahyun over to the playground in one of their favorite parks. While the older girl was having fun... Dahyun was just sitting there, on her swing, staring blankly into nothing._ **

 

**_Jisoo immediately stopped what she was doing, and got behind the girl, lightly pushing her._ **

 

**_“How was school today, Dubu?” She asked._ **

 

**_The girl didn't respond, just continued to stare blankly._ **

 

**_“I met a boy today,” Jisoo commented. “His name is Cheolmin. He was pretty nice.”_ **

 

**_The younger girl was still quiet._ **

 

**_“Ah... I wish I had met a girl for you, though.” The older girl said. “Maybe that could help you out a bit!”_ **

 

**_“What? Do you not like spending time with me?” Dahyun stated._ **

 

**_The older girl was a bit taken aback. “D-Dahyun, that's not what I meant.”_ **

 

**_“What did you mean, Jisoo?” The younger girl asked._ **

 

**_“Ah... I-I don't know!?” Jisoo panicked. “I-I guess I just thought that... maybe you could go on a date?”_ **

 

**_“...that's stupid,” Dahyun remarked. “W-Why would I go on a date?”_ **

 

**_“To help you feel better, of course!” The older girl said. “Hey, how about we go on a pretend date!”_ **

 

**_This caught the younger girl's interest. “Pretend date?”_ **

 

**_“Ah, well... I could pretend to be your girlfriend, and you could pretend to be mine!” Jisoo stated. “It would be like, a practice date, to help you prepare for the real thing!”_ **

 

**_“Jisoo...” Dahyun replied. “I-I don't know..”_ **

 

**_“Why not, Dubu?” The older girl said. “It's only pretend!”_ **

 

**_Jisoo walked over to Dahyun and held her hand. “Come with me, my lady!”_ **

 

**_The older girl walked, Dahyun just behind her. Seeing Jisoo smile... it made Dahyun's heart warmer. Just now, she realized that Jisoo really does care. All those bad thoughts about her friend... disappeared._ **

 

**_Jisoo is Dahyun's light in the dark. Her one and only. Her everything._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

June 4th, 2018. 9:24 AM.

 

Jihyo slowly started stirring, waking up. The younger girl smiled at her. Jihyo, her light in the dark. The colors to her black and white. Her one and only. Her everything. God, she loved her.

 

“...good morning, dubu..” The older girl said, looking at her girlfriend. “I.. was thinking of dying my hair.”

 

“Oh? What color?” 

 

“Darker brown.”

 

“That sounds nice,” Dahyun said. “I guess you must have gotten tired of the purple, huh?”

 

“Highlights.” Jihyo stretched. “Not fun.”

 

“I'm still keeping my blonde hair, though.”

 

“I wasn't asking you to dye your hair too, Dahyun.” The older girl said. The younger girl shrugged. “Just gotta let you know~”

 

Jihyo got off from the bed, still stretching. Her phone dinged, but Dahyun grabbed it first.

 

“Oh.,” Dahyun said. The girl looked at her. “What is it, Dubu?”

 

“It's... a text. From JYP himself.”

 

“WHAT!?” Jihyo yelled, taking the phone away.

 

“ **Is it possible for you to come to my office in the next hour? I have some manners to attend to, but I need to speak with you.** ” The text read.

 

“It's not his personal number, I know. But it still feels weird that you get texts from him.” Dahyun replied. “Woo for business lines..”

 

“He... wants to see me.” The JYP trainee said. “D-Dahyun, he wants to see me.”

 

“Should I come with you?” The blonde asked. 

 

The older girl looked at her phone. “I don't know, you're not part of the entertainment. I'm going to go alone. Dahyun, you should go talk to Chae or someone else while I'm gone, okay?”

 

The younger girl nodded. “Ok. Go get 'em, tiger!”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:12 AM.

 

Jihyo cut it JUST short. She arrived at the door to JYP's office and knocked.

 

“Come in.” The voice of JYP himself said. Jihyo entered the room. “A-Ah, hello!” She bowed to him. “Jihyo-ah, take a seat, please.”

 

Jihyo sat on a chair in front of his desk, while the man sat on the other side, in his boss chair, as Dahyun described.

 

“As you know, you've been with us for thirteen years,” JYP replied. “You're one of the most loyal trainees I've ever had.” The girl nodded, and the man continued. “I realized now, that I've been making a huge mistake with you, Jihyo. You have so much potential, and here I am, wasting it all.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jihyo asked. JYP replied to her. “What I mean: You have immense talent. Your singing and dancing are great, and from all the activity I've monitored, you have great stage presence.”

 

The JYP trainee started to nervously fiddle with her thumbs. And the man continued. “So... now's your time. Park Jihyo, congratulations. You're going to debut on July 24th.”

 

Jihyo looked at the man, her eyes lit up with excitement. “You're not kidding, right?” The man shook his head. “No, Jihyo, it's been too long. I won't waste your talent anymore. July 24th, mark the date, remember it. It's your big day.”

 

“Oh MY GOSH THANK YOU SO MUCH!” Jihyo said, squealing from excitement. Despite the man trying to keep his professional persona on, he couldn't help but crack a small smile at the girl's excitement. “Is it okay if I hug you? Oh my gosh, I need to hug someone!”

 

Someone entered the room, and without second thoughts, Jihyo ran over to them and hugged them.

 

“Ah?” The voice said. “Aaahhh!?”

 

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” Jihyo replied. To her surprise, Yugyeom from GOT7 had entered the office.

 

“Yugyeom, what is it?” JYP asked.

 

“Ah... I was just hearing loud noises.” Yugyeom responded. “I.. think I know the source of it now.”

 

“So so sorry!” Jihyo bowed. “So sorry!”

 

“Hey, it's okay.” The boy responded. “Just.. wasn't expecting that.”

 

“Yugyeom!” Jihyo said. “I'm going to debut!”

 

The boy's eyes lit up too. “Whoa, really? You're really going to debut!?”

 

The girl continued to bounce out of excitement. Yugyeom looked behind him. “I gotta tell Jaebum!”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:41 AM.

 

Next thing Jihyo knew, she was inside a break room, with Wonpil.

 

“They're getting your cake,” Wonpil said. “Jihyo, I just want to say, that I'm so proud of you! Really!”

 

“That means a lot coming from you, Wonpil,” Jihyo said. “It's.. just so crazy, you know? How is Dahyun going to react?”

 

“And everyone else,” Wonpil replied. “I even got Mina invested in your debut.”

 

“Oh my gosh, really!?” The girl said. “You're the greatest, Wonpil!”

 

The keyboardist scratched the back of his head. “Hey, it's no biggie. Mina doesn't show it, but she's very curious about you and your career.”

 

Wonpil got a text, looking at it.

 

“ **Waiting outside, can we talk?** ” Mina texted. The keyboardist looked at Jihyo. “Hey, Mina texted me. Is it okay if I check out for a bit?”

 

Jihyo nodded. “It's Mina, it's important. Just be back, okay?”

 

The keyboardist nodded and left the room.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:45 AM.

 

Wonpil exited to the front of the JYP building and saw Mina there.

 

“Hey, Mina, what's up?” Wonpil asked.

 

“Momo left me her dance studio,” Mina replied. “And... I don't know what to do with it.”

 

“Oh? Wonpil said. “Is that what that key was?”

 

The Japanese girl nodded. “Yeah..”

 

“She... left you a dance studio key.” The keyboardist said. “Isn't that ironic..”

 

“I know.,” Mina replied. “Girl who gives up ballet is left with a dance studio, and nothing to do with it.”

 

“..I guess you should just leave it, then.” The bandmate said. “I'm sorry, I wish I had more advice for you.”

 

“I do want to do something with it though, but I just don't KNOW what it is.” The girl said.'

 

Wonpil shrugged. “Hey, we can figure it together. Today's going to be busy, so maybe we can check it out tomorrow?”

 

Mina smiled. “That sounds good.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:01 AM.

 

Everyone, All of Stray Kids, GOT7, the other 4 from DAY6, Jimin and Yerin from 15&, and some leftover members from the sixteen group returned, with a cake with “Congratulations Jihyo!” written on it.

 

“Where's Wonpil?” Sungjin asked.

 

“Right here!” Wonpil said. “I was talking to Mina.”

 

“Who's Mina?” Jimin asked. “Youurr girrllfrieeennndd?”

 

The keyboardist got flustered. “S-She's not my girlfriend..”

 

Jihyo looked over to the other three girls: Choi Inhye, Nam Jina, and Bong Haeun. They were part of Sixteen along with Jihyo, and they actually got to debut in the group titled “7mix”. Disbandment happened, and they were the only three left.

 

“Hey, glad you finally got your good ending, Jihyo,” Jina said. Haeun spoke up. “It's been a long time coming.”

 

And then, Jihyo spent the next hour talking and celebrating with her fellow JYP family.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:21 PM.

 

Now was the time for Jihyo to celebrate with her non-JYP friends. She had invited all the girls (and Wonpil, obviously) to her house. Slowly, everyone came. The last to arrive was Jeongyeon.

 

“Huh, this house feels a bit bigger now,” Nayeon commented.

 

“Ah, I miss Sana and Momo!” Dahyun whined .”And Seulgi, too!”

 

“I feel really bad they're going to miss announcement because it's really important.” Jihyo sighed sadly. “I'll still tell the rest of you, though.”

 

“What is it, Jihyo?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

The soon to debut idol smiled. “I'm going to debut on July 24th.”

 

And just like, the room erupted in celebration. Dahyun had pulled Jihyo into a hug, while everyone congratulated Jihyo.

 

“Oh my god, I'm so happy for you!” Nayeon said.

 

“Me too!” Tzuyu replied. “Fighting!”

 

Eventually, the noise had died down, and everyone settled. Jihyo was still happy though.

 

“It's.. so emotional for me,” Jihyo said. “All my life I've been training for this moment, and now..”

 

The blonde pulled her into a hug, noting the girl was going to start crying.

 

“Thirteen years... and it's finally going to pay off,” Jihyo said. “I'm so happy.”

 

“I'm so happy for you too, Jihyo,” Dahyun replied.

 

Jeongyeon walked over.

 

“You know I'm not one for mushy stuff... but, fuck it! You're my girls! Seriously Jihyo, I'm so fucking proud of you!” Jeongyeon joined in on the hug, causing the two other girls to laugh.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:41 PM

 

Eventually, everyone had left, and Dahyun and Jihyo were once again home alone together.

 

“I just realized, unnie,” Dahyun said. “You're going to have to be away for such a long time!”

 

“I'll just be at JYP studios,” Jihyo replied. “You can always come to see me, Dubu.”

 

The blonde sighed. “I-I know, but still... the hours without you are going to be so rough.” The older girl kissed Dahyun's cheek. “I feel the same.”

 

Dahyun blushed but continued talking. “When do you start... you know, going in and preparing?”

 

“JYP said he'd gave me two weeks to enjoy everything else before I go in and start preparing,” Jihyo said. “So, I'll make these next two weeks count! For you, Dahyun!”

 

The blonde nodded. “I'm so proud of you, Jihyo!”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:21 PM

 

Jihyo and Dahyun lied down on the bed, cuddling. Dahyun was fast asleep, but Jihyo stayed awake just a little bit longer.

 

She was excited. Thirteen years, and this is it. It's all going to pay off.

 

Park Jihyo is going to be a star.


	13. The Star Shines Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna be a star!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay meow  
> I wasn't satisfied with the original version of this chapter so I rewrote it a bit, woof.

June 5th, 2018. 2:51 PM.

 

Wonpil had finally found the time in the day to go with Mina to check out Momo's studio, so that's exactly what they did. Of course, it wasn't JUST the two of them. Jeongyeon had come along.

 

“I don't think I've ever ACTUALLY checked out Momo's studio,” Jeongyeon said.

 

“That's odd, haven't you been friends with her for a long while?” Wonpil asked. “Never checked it out back then?”

 

“I'm a very busy woman.”

 

The three just continued walking along their path to the studio, and Jeongyeon noted Mina was just silent staring along the sidewalk, holding Wonpil's hand.

 

“Hey, Mina, I got a question for you!” Jeongyeon said. “How does it feel knowing that your best friend is a freaking K-Idol?”

 

“Ah... I... guess it's... okay... The only thing I hate is... when Wonpil has to... be away at JYP studios for a while, because of a comeback...”

 

“I always text you after the practice sessions.” The keyboardist said.

 

The Japanese girl was silent. “I... know.”

 

Some more time had passed, and they finally arrived at Momo's studio. Mina used the key to unlock the door, and they entered.

 

“Huh.” The tall girl stated. “This lobby is.. quite fancy.”

 

“She's... rich... o-of course it is....” Mina replied.

 

“Well, yeah. I just wouldn't expect Momo to flex her money like this.”

 

Mina just walked off towards the elevator, Wonpil following, while Jeongyeon stared at a painting.

 

“H-Hey... I-I'm not just going to leave you behind... right?” Mina asked.

 

“Ehh... this lobby is so attractive. Just leave the elevator unlocked for me, yeah?” Jeongyeon said.

 

The Japanese girl looked over to her best friend, who just shrugged. “I guess, see you later, Jeongyeon?” He said.

 

“Mmmhmm!” The tall girl walked over to another painting as Mina and Wonpil went inside the elevator. Mina unlocked it and pressed the up button. The two stood there in silence as the Japanese girl started to think to herself, but the sound of the elevator dinging took her out of her thoughts. She eventually led the keyboardist to the dance room, and they entered it.

 

Wonpil looked around the room. “I'm getting some flashbacks of dance practicing... but you already know that.”

 

The keyboardist walked over to Mina, who was just staring at herself in the mirror.

 

“Mina?” Wonpil called out, standing right next to her.

 

“I... I hear her.” Mina said. “When I see myself in the mirror, I can hear her words.”

 

“Your mother, right?” The keyboardist asked, slowly intertwining his hand with Mina's. The girl found comfort in his hand, so she continued talking.

 

“Y-Yes... I can hear her... c-c-calling me a disappointment.”

 

“You're not a disappointment. You're so much more than whatever your mother said.”

 

Mina looked down. “I-I... I don't know if I can believe that..”

 

The keyboardist looked at her reflection. “Your mother isn't here anymore. I'm here. Our friends are here. You're here. All of us care for you, we love you, Mina. You're loved, Mina.”

 

The girl looked at herself. “I'm... loved.”

 

“Yes, Mina.”

 

Mina turned around to face Wonpil and hugged him. “I'm.. not a disappointment?”

 

The keyboardist hugged her back. “You're so much more than that, Mina. You're perfect, just the way you are.”

 

The thoughts always creep in, she can hear her mother's voice... But her mother isn't here. She can't hurt her anymore. Miss Myoui CAN'T hurt Mina. And all of her friends, they don't want to hurt Mina. They just want to show the girl everything in the world, and show her the love that she... she deserves. Yes, Mina, you deserve love. You deserve so much in this world.

 

For the first time in forever... Mina felt something. It wasn't overwhelming sadness or just a little speck of happiness... It was pure joy. She's loved and cared about.

 

The Japanese girl pulled away from the hug, and the keyboardist wiped away a tear from her cheek, something that girl didn't even notice.

 

“Wonpil... I'm so sorry.” Mina said.

 

“What's wrong?”

 

“I feel so stupid. All this time, you and everyone else... have been trying to help me, and I... I accept it at the time, but then I fall back into the same hole. All of you help me out, but then I throw myself back in.. I'm so sorry.” The girl replied.

 

The keyboardist waved a hand. “No, it's okay. I'm just glad you've realized that.”

 

Mina sighed. Of course, now that she knew she was loved, she felt happy. But everything else was still there. The sadness, feelings of regret... At the very least, she wouldn't have to think about her mother anymore. Now... she just had to focus on herself, HER true perception of herself, not what her mom implanted into her head.

 

“Thank you, Wonpil,” Mina said. “You've made me realize a lot.”

 

“I'm glad.” Wonpil smiled at her.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:41 PM

 

Mina was back at home, but she was frustrated with herself. She realized she was loved, and yet she could still JUST feel that overwhelming sadness in her heart. Why? Why couldn't it all have just gone away today? She sighed. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. Nothing ever is.

 

At the very least, instead of seeing just darkness ahead, she could now see the beginning of a bright light at the end of the darkness. She just had to take things slow, and maybe... maybe, for once and for all, she'll finally feel better.

 

\------------------------------

 

4:51 PM.

 

“....Why is there a camera in the closet?”

 

“W-WHAT!?”

 

“...not gonna lie, you almost got me.”

 

“D-Dahyun!?”

 

At their house, Jihyo had set up a hidden camera in her closet, and called Dahyun over to her room, pretending to have got injured. Of course, the girl immediately sensed where the camera was.

 

“You're really abusing my power, unnie,” Dahyun remarked, taking the camera out of the closet, setting in on Jihyo's desk.

 

The older girl sighed. “I'm still in disbelief. Like, you just know.”

 

“And I was away from the room, so you can't say I “peaked”, unnie.” The blonde said.

 

“I like it when you call me unnie.”

 

The younger girl blushed a bit. “I see..”

 

Jihyo opened her laptop and started to scroll through her files.

 

“Hey, when are you going to dye your hair?” Dahyun asked. “You said you'd do it yesterday, yet you didn't...”

 

“Ah, I know,” Jihyo replied. “You have to understand, considering what happened yesterday.”

 

“Riiighhtt! Seriously, I'm so happy for you, Jihyo!”

 

The older girl smiled at her, then went back to her “Songs” folder. “Dubu, you want to know something?”

 

The blonde looked at her. “Hmm?”

 

The soon to debut idol showed Dahyun her screen. “I finally found out what was wrong with Sunset.”

 

“Oh! What is it!?” Dahyun's eyes lit up with excitement.

 

“I was missing the true emotions behind it. It's supposed to be a love song, but... I didn't really know what it was like to love, so I never really felt the lyrics. But now... I get it. In a way, you helped me, Dahyun.” The older girl said.

 

“Aw... I'm your muse!” The blonde replied.

 

Jihyo giggled. “Yeah, you are!”

 

\------------------------------

  
  


5:28 PM.

 

Once again, nothing. The three Japan travelers have essentially searched all of Osaka, and yet, nothing turned up. They were at their hotel room, in which Sana was lying on the bed, Momo was using her laptop, and Seulgi was looking in the fridge.

 

“I really thought he'd be here,” Sana said. “DAMMIT!”

 

She hit the bed in frustration and sat up.

 

“You've been saying that,” Seulgi replied, looking at her. “Look, your mom is buried here, right?”

 

The younger Japanese girl looked down. “S-She is..”

 

The dance teacher looked at the two girls. “Even then, that isn't exactly a guarantee we'll find him.”

 

The SM trainee took a sip of water. “I'm just saying that her grave should've been the first place we tried.”

 

Sana looked down. She hated that she didn't even remember anything about her mother. All she does remember is the heartbreak she felt when the woman passed, and how lost she was. Seulgi spoke up, which snapped her out of her thoughts.

 

“Sana, let's just give it a shot,” Seulgi replied. “And... after all, she's your mom.”

 

The Japanese girl nodded. “Momo, are you going to come?”

 

The dance teacher nodded. “Yeah.”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:55 PM

 

After a long drive, they finally arrived at the graveyard. Sana was a bit nervous since she hadn't visited her mother's grave in... forever. Last time she saw her mom's grave was the day her father abandoned her.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 11_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2011. 5:21 PM._ **

 

**_The young Sana stared out the car window. It was a silent drive, her father, for once, was sober. Eventually, they stopped at their destination. He got off and motioned for the girl to get off too._ **

 

**_“We're... seeing mom again?” She asked. The man just nodded. “Yes, Sana.”_ **

 

**_They walked and eventually got to the woman's grave._ **

 

**_In Loving Memory_ **

 

**_Hayami Minatozaki_ **

**_April 15_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 1970 – September 29_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2004_ **

**_Beloved Sister, Wife, and Mother_ **

 

**_Sana just stared at the grave and watched as her father walked over to the grave, and got on his knees. He started whispering to the grave, but it wasn't any of Sana's business. Even if she did listen, he probably wouldn't even notice anyway._ **

 

**_A butterfly appeared, and Sana slowly reached out to it. It just flew by, and she frowned. Her father approached her._ **

 

**_“You don't want to say anything to your mother?” He asked. She just looked back at the grave. “I'm... good.”_ **

 

**_The man just nodded. “Let's go.”_ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_10:21 PM._ **

 

**_“Dad? Where are you going?” Sana asked, seeing her father getting his keys. She didn't know it at the time, but the man had been packing all day. She, of course, was in her room, doing whatever it is she does._ **

 

**_“Ah, Sana, don't worry about it.” He said. “I'm just going to go out very quickly, I'll be back.”_ **

 

**_“You're not going to another bar, right..?” She asked._ **

 

**_The man just looked at her. “Of course not, It's just a quick trip, I'll be back. You won't even notice I'm gone.”_ **

 

**_And then that was it. The man grabbed his car keys, walked out the front door, locked it.. and never returned._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 12_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2011. 4:21 PM._ **

 

**_Sana had been in her room all day, wondering when her father was going to come home._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 13_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2011. 3:41 PM._ **

 

**_Another day was going by, and the man hadn't returned yet. Good thing Sana's friend had at least taken her out to eat._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 14_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2011. 5:32 PM._ **

 

**_Sana sat there quietly in the living room, staring at the front door. Any second the man was going to walk in, probably drunk like he always is. At least he'd be here._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_April 15_ ** **_th_ ** **_, 2011. 6:27 PM._ **

 

**_By now, Sana had finally figured out what was going on. So... she cried. She huddled up in the corner of her room and cried. Then, the panic set in. Her father... left her. She's abandoned. Now she's alone. Completely alone._ **

 

**_Minatozaki Sana was now completely alone in this cruel world._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

“Sana, hey, are you okay?” Seulgi asked. She put a hand up to Sana's cheek. “You're crying..”

 

“I-I am..?” Sana replied. “I'm sorry..”

 

The Korean girl pulled her into a hug. “You don't have to apologize, it's okay.”

 

Momo bowed in front of the grave. “Hey, I know you won't hear this... but Miss Minatozaki, thank you so much. Thank you for bringing Sana into this world. Thank you for birthing such an amazing, beautiful girl.”

 

Sana and Seulgi approached Momo, having not heard her.

 

“M-Mom..” Sana stuttered, approaching the grave. Maybe it's because of how long it's been, but Sana could feel a rush of emotions surge in once she saw the gravestone. She got on her knees, looking at the name. “Mom... I wish you were here. I wish that you and Dad had both raised me. I wish that I could remember SOMETHING about you.”

 

Seulgi and Momo left the girl, leaving her with a moment to herself. They had walked off just a couple of feet away from Sana.

 

“God, this is so depressing,” Seulgi replied. “And I still remember when my parents had their first fight, and I was SO sad over it. I thought their relationship was over..”

 

Momo looked at Sana. “My heart hurts for Sana. I never want to tell her.. but you can see it in her eyes. She's SO broken. And.. honestly, although I hate him, I really do hope we find Sana's dad. If finding him will help fix Sana... then so be it.”

 

“Well, at least a first step towards “fixing” her,” Seulgi replied.

 

They turned around to approach Sana.

 

“Sana?” Momo said. The Japanese girl was still looking at her mother's grave.

 

The dance teacher put a hand on Sana's shoulder. “Are you okay?”

 

“I... feel so stupid,” Sana said. “So, so STUPID.” She got up. “I.. I wasted all of your time.”

 

“Sana?” Seulgi questioned. “What do you mean?”

 

“He isn't here,” Sana replied. “He probably hasn't even been anywhere in Osaka for years. We... shouldn't even be here, too.” The Japanese girl looked at her mother's grave one last time. “Goodbye, Mom. I hope you're in peace where you ended up.”

 

Minatozaki just walked off, leaving the two other girls by themselves.

 

“Dammit,” Momo said.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 6th, 1:47 PM.

 

For a change, Dahyun was out of the house, while Jihyo stayed in. She wanted to finish writing Sunset, so she stayed at home. Once again, the girl STILL hadn't dyed her hair. The purple was starting to fade, which annoyed the girl. Then, she heard a knock. Of course, she opened the door and saw Mina standing outside.

 

“Ah, Mina,” Jihyo said. “I wasn-”

 

To her surprise, Mina hugged her. And.. it was nice. To be hugged by Mina... she liked that. She hugged the girl back. After a couple of beats, Mina pulled away. “Thank you, Jihyo.”

 

“Ah, you're welcome,” Jihyo replied. The Japanese girl looked around and saw the house was empty.

 

“Can I come in?” Mina asked.

 

“Yeah, sure.”

 

Mina entered the room, and Jihyo closed the door behind her, locking it. The Japanese girl sat on the couch, looking at the JYP trainee.

 

The older girl went over to her kitchen. “Do you want something to drink, Mina?”

 

The Japanese girl just shook her head. “I'm... okay.” Now Mina was starting to feel some panic. She wanted to talk to Jihyo... but maybe she pushed herself too fast already. She could already feel tears starting to form. What? Why was she going to cry?

 

Jihyo wouldn't hurt her. Jihyo DOESN'T want to hurt her. She cares. She cares about Mina. But... Mina came here for no reason, and now she might be suspicious in Jihyo's eyes.

 

What if Jihyo starts thinking Mina's weird? Or what if she doesn't start liking her now? What if she-

 

“Hey, Mina..” The older girl said, snapping Mina out of her thoughts. “You're crying. What's wrong?”

 

“I-I d-d-don't know...” Mina replied. “Y-You care about m-me, right?”

 

“Of course, we all care for you, Minguin.” Jihyo replied.

 

The Japanese girl let out a small laugh .”M-Minguin?”

 

The Korean girl nodded. “Because you said you like penguins, and your name is Mina. So, Minguin!” Jihyo wiped some of Mina's tears away with a tissue.

 

“I-I like that..” The Japanese girl said.

 

Mina was still crying though, so Jihyo just waited until she was done. She pulled the girl into a hug, in which the younger girl accepted. A couple of minutes passed, and Mina had calmed down a bit.

 

“You're okay.” The older girl said. “You know that? You're okay.”

 

The Japanese girl pulled away and looked at Jihyo. “You're... so kind-hearted.”

 

“Thank you...”

 

“I appreciate... all that you've been doing for me.”

 

“Hey, you deserve the best.”

 

The younger girl fell silent again. “I... guess, yeah..”

 

Jihyo could see the same pain in Mina's eyes that Dahyun had in her eyes so many years ago. It hurt her, honestly. Like she's said before, Mina is a precious soul, and for her to have been so damaged... it wasn't fair.

 

“Look... tell me if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but..” Jihyo gulped and then continued. “I.. can see it. In your eyes. You're hurting, so much. And... I want to help you. Like, more deeply. Talking to you during the occasional event is fine, but I want to see you more. So much more often. I want to learn more. I want you to let me help you, Mina.”

 

The Japanese girl looked down. This is what she wanted, after all... Sure, she feels like she doesn't deserve it- No, she does deserve this. She deserves to be happy. Mina... deserves to be happy. Her mother has controlled her for far too long.

 

“Okay..” Mina replied.

 

Jihyo's eyes lit up. “R-Really? You'll let me help you?”

 

The Japanese girl looked down. “I'm... so tired of feeling like this, Jihyo. I cry myself to sleep every night, and when I'm not around anyone... I cry all the time, too. I-It's so painful. S-So fucking painful.”

 

Mina started to wipe some tears away, and Jihyo moved closer to her. She slowly put a hand under Mina's chin and directed the girl to look at her.

 

“Mina.,” Jihyo said.

 

The younger girl just barely choked out three words. “H-Help me, p-please.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:17 PM.

 

Jihyo didn't even realize it, but Mina had fallen asleep resting her head on Jihyo's shoulder. The older girl looked at the sleeping girl and realized something. Mina... looked so peaceful. So... it seemed like Mina wasn't hurting in dreamland, at least.

 

She heard the door unlock, and heard the voice of her lover.

 

“I'm hoo-! WHOA!?” The blonde said, seeing Mina on the couch with Jihyo. “Did... I miss something?”

 

The older girl motioned for Dahyun to sit next to her, so she did. “Ah... Mina wants me to help her.”

 

Dahyun looked at the Japanese girl. “I see. Like you helped me, right?”

 

The older girl nodded. “Yeah. We should help her together, Dahyun.”

 

“Yeah, let's do it, then.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:15 PM.

 

Nayeon was alone, walking around a shopping district. She wasn't looking for anything in particular. And she most definitely was NOT looking for the ex.

 

“Hey there Nayie! I wasn't expecting to see you!” Yeojin called out. Nayeon felt like running away, but she couldn't do that.

 

“Oh, hi..”

 

The bunny girl approached her ex.

 

“Ah, where's your girlfriend, hm?” Yeojin asked.

 

The younger girl looked away. “At school, as I said..”

 

“I see! I really want to meet her, Nayie! Can I meet her!?”

 

“...Really?”

 

The ex nodded. “Yes!”

 

The bunny girl sighed. “Maybe.. she's going to be out in an hour or so.”

 

“Ah, maybe we can find a place to meet once you get her!” Yeojin said, excited. “Like... how about we meet at that yogurt place?”

 

The bunny girl looked away. “You know I hate frozen yogurt..”

 

The ex tilted her head. “But your girlfriend might loooveee iiitt!”

 

Nayeon really wanted to just drop dead right now, that's how much Yeojin was annoying her. “Ugh... fine. You have to be there by 5:30 PM. You're only allowed to be 15 minutes late. If it's 16, we're leaving.”

 

Yeojin nodded. “Okay! See you later Nayie!”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:55 PM.

 

“Long story short, we're going to see my ex-girlfriend.”

 

“WHAT!?”

 

“L-Look-”

 

“BUNNY WHAT!?”

 

“T-Tzuyu-”

 

“OH MY GOD WHY!?”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:24 PM.

 

The girl had finally arrived at the frozen yogurt shop. To their surprise... Yeojin was already there.

 

“Hey, girl-!” Yeojin just stopped and looked at Tzuyu. “You're.... tall.”

 

“Yes, I am,” Tzuyu replied. “Name's Chou Tzuyu, nice to meet you.”

 

“Ah, yes I'm-”

 

“Nayeon's already told me who you are,” Tzuyu said. “Let's go talk.”

 

Yeojin got frozen yogurt, but Nayeon and Tzuyu just... sat down on one of the couches. The girl sat down on the couch just in front of the couple.

 

“It's so exciting to meet you!” Yeojin replied. “I want to know how you've been taking care of my rabbit-”

 

“Rabbit?” Tzuyu scoffed. “Bunny is cuter.”

 

“Bunny?” Yeojin replied. “Ah... I see... so now I know who the top is in this situation. Good for you, Nayeon!”

 

“W-What the hell are you talking about!?” Nayeon stuttered. “T-There's nothing sexual about it!”

 

“Mmmmhmmm.,” Yeojin muttered.

 

Tzuyu looked away to roll her eyes, then looked back. “I want to know the details of your break up.”

 

Nayeon looked at Tzuyu. “Ah... T-Tzuyu.”

 

The tall girl looked at her. “I'm sure you don't mind.”

 

Yeojin spoke up. “Meh, it's pretty easy: We just fell out of love. We didn't love each other anymore, so we just broke it off!”

 

“...” Tzuyu... didn't like this response. REALLY didn't like this response. She thought maybe Yeojin broke it off or cheated, but if Nayeon stopped lovi-

 

“Tzuyu,” Nayeon said, whispering into Tzuyu's ears. “As I said, I won't let you go. I'm yours, and yours only. And you're mine, mine only. I love you, and only you. And that love will be eternal.”

 

This relieved the girl. She sighed.

 

“I see,” Tzuyu said to Yeojin. “Is there any specific reason you wanted to see me?”

 

“As I said earlier, I want to see how you've been taking care of Nayie!” Yeojin replied. “Guess it's more like Nayie's been taking of you, huh.”

 

Tzuyu was silent. “I guess..”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:58 PM.

 

The meeting flew by relatively drama-free, and Yeojin had departed, leaving the couple by themselves.

 

“Jeez.,” Tzuyu said. “I don't like her.”

 

Nayeon coughed a bit. “Exactly what I thought you were going to say.”

 

The younger girl got up. “Like.. she dares to act all friendly, even though you two are broken up. You suffered from heartbreak just the same, you know?”

 

“I know.”

 

“It's just... I don't know. She's... too much. She reminds me a bit of Seulgi, but I actually like Seulgi.”

 

“Speaking of Seulgi, has she even been active in the group chat lately?” Nayeon asked. “I don't think her, Sana, or Momo has.”

 

“They're probably just having a lot of fun, it's nothing to stress about.”

 

The bunny girl sighed. “I want to take you somewhere, though.”

 

The younger girl looked at her. “Oh? Like on a date?”

 

“We spend time together, yeah... but there's a place I've always wanted to take you to.”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:34 PM.

 

Now that it was night, Nayeon finally brought Tzuyu over to the place: The park on the hill.

 

“Momo recorded a dance cover here once.” The bunny girl said. “I love this place because it gives us such a beautiful view of the city.” They looked over the railing, seeing all the lights in the city.

 

“I don't think I've seen the city look this pretty.” The Taiwanese girl replied. “This... really is a great spot, bunny.”

 

“It reminds me of you. Because you're so beautiful.”

 

The younger girl moved closer to her. “You're so beautiful too, bunny.”

 

Nayeon turned around to face Tzuyu and pulled her closer. Tzuyu's body was just pressing up against Nayeon, and their faces were so close...

 

“I love you,” Nayeon said.

 

“I love you too,” Tzuyu replied.

 

Nayeon moved her face closer to Tzuyu's. The younger girl closed her eyes, bracing for what was about to come next. Slowly but surely, Nayeon brought her lips closer to Tzuyu's.

 

And once they touched...

 

The kiss was a bit awkward, but that was fine. Tzuyu had never kissed before. Nayeon did, however. Tzuyu wrapped her arms around the girl, enjoying the feeling of Nayeon kissing her. Eventually, they pulled away to breathe.

 

“W-Wow.,” Tzuyu said, a blush bright on her face.

 

Nayeon smiled at her. “Not bad, huh?”

 

The younger girl smiled. “Amazing.”

 

Tzuyu couldn't help but smile. She just had her first kiss. Her first kiss with Nayeon. The first kiss of many. She.. couldn't even wait for another way, so she just kissed the girl again. Nayeon didn't mind, but she could feel that Tzuyu didn't really know what she was doing. It wasn't horrible, just a little annoyance. She was sure to help Tzuyu out.

 

The younger girl pulled away.

 

“Sorry..” Tzuyu said. “No, it's okay.”

 

The bunny girl replied. “We could practice, perfect your kissing. You're almost there, to be quite honest. Just a little more.”

 

“Oh yeah?” The Taiwanese girl said. “Then let's practice some more, bunny.”

  
  


\------------------------------

 

June 7th, 4:21 PM.

 

Chaeyoung closed her locker, just to be met with a pretty girl, er... well, yeah, pretty girl, but she can't exactly check her out. It was the girl named Hwang Yeji.

 

“Hii!” Yeji said. “So... I was wondering maybe... if you would want to go out with me?”

 

“Like... on a date?”

 

“Preferably!”

 

“Sorry, but... I have a boyfriend.”

 

“Okay, then not a romantic date!”

 

“What's your endgame here, Hwang Yeji?” Chaeyoung asked. “We've talked before, but this is the most we've spoken in the past week.”

 

“Okay.. well... here's a fact you probably haven't known about me! I'm a trainee at JYP!” Yeji raised a thumbs up.

 

“Ooohhh...”

 

“And you know Jihyo, right? Is she taken? I'd love to get to know her...”

 

The orange-haired girl didn't really know the answer to that question. “Uh... I don't know. And, aren't you a little too young for her, anyway?”

 

Yeji pouted. “Meehh.. you're right.”

 

The trainee grabbed her phone out of her pocket and started to write down a number. “Anyways, you seem pretty cool Chaeyoung, and I've been wanting to make friends with you for a long time, so here's my number!”

 

The girl showed her phone to Chaeyoung, who just shrugged and took her phone out. “You seem cool, too, Yeji. Friends?”

 

“Mmmhmm!”

 

“Okay, cool, friends!”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:21 PM.

 

The three Japan travelers had decided to stay in Japan for just a little bit longer, but this time they stayed in Kobe. Sana remembers that her father and mother met there, so maybe the man could have moved back there.

 

They, once again, stayed in a fancy hotel. They explored the city for a bit but quickly checked in for the night.

 

Seulgi was fast asleep in one of the beds, but Sana and Momo were awake.

 

The dance teacher approached Sana, who was sitting on the chair in front of the dining table. “So, you really don't remember anything about your mother?”

 

The younger girl shook her head. “Not one detail. It really makes me sad, because something in the back of my head tells me that she was a great mother. It's unfortunate that she passed so soon.”

 

“I'm so sorry, Sana.”

 

“I know.”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 8th, 10:41 AM.

 

Finally, Jihyo dyed her hair dark brown. She dyed it last night and woke up to new hair color.

 

“How do you like it, Dubu?” She asked.

 

The younger girl nodded. “It's nice, unnie.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

She kissed the girl on the cheek. Dahyun blushed.

 

“I... really need to stop blushing so much.”

 

“I love it when you blush,” Jihyo said. “Well, not as much as I love you.”

 

The blonde smiled. “I love you too, unnie.”

 

The soon to debut idol smiled, as she went into her room. She came out, holding her laptop.

 

“I completed Sunset,” Jihyo informed.

 

The blonde's eyes lit up with excitement. “Oooh, really? Can you sing it for me?”

 

“Gladly.”

 

And then, Jihyo sang her song to Dahyun. The blonde fell in love with every word of the song and found herself falling even more in love with Jihyo. She loved the way Jihyo smiled after every line she sang, how the girl would close her eyes when she would get into a really great verse, how she could see Jihyo's eyes were filled with so much joy.

 

She loved everything about it.

 

Eventually, Jihyo had finished singing. “So... what do you think, Dubu?”

 

The blonde hugged Jihyo. “I love it so much, Jihyo.”

 

The soon to debut idol smiled.

 

“I'm glad. This song is for you, my love.”


	14. You Better Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mall and other stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyo so the angst tag is there for a reason

June 9th, 2018. 11:14 AM.

 

Tzuyu woke up a bit later, but that was okay because it wasn't a school day. She was outside in the backyard, sitting on a lawn chair she had set up, staring at the swing set. She had always seen it there, and she wondered why it was there.

 

“Aw, you're so mean.” The bunny girl said, just now exiting. “I always stay in bed for you, and you don't even pay me back?”

 

“I just needed to go outside,” Tzuyu replied. “Besides, you snore.”

 

“Ugh-!” Nayeon scoffed. “I do not snore!”

 

“Mmmm.. so you think.” The younger girl smirked. “You're so loud.”

 

“God you really are mean!” The bunny girl said. “You snore too!”

 

“Now that's just a lie.” The Taiwanese girl remarked. “My parents tell me that I'm as quiet as a mouse when I'm asleep.”

 

“M-My parents say that...” Nayeon trailed off. “U-Used to say that, too..”

 

“Oh.” Tzuyu fell silent. “Bunny, I'm-”

 

“No, it's okay,” Nayeon replied. “I... haven't thought about them in a while.”

 

Tzuyu hates them. She hates Nayeon's parents. She's never met them, but if she does...

 

\------------------------------

 

**_October 21_ ** **_st_ ** **_, 2010. 3:21 PM_ **

 

**_Yeojin was surprised by a sight. She was just relaxing in her house, then suddenly... there was a knock. It wasn't just a calm knock, it... was a loud knock. Loud and multiple knocks._ **

 

**_She ran over to her door and opened it. Nayeon was there behind the door, and she was not okay. She was a sobbing mess._ **

 

“ ** _Jinnie..!” The girl said, pulling her girlfriend into a hug. “I-I-I”_**

 

“ ** _Nayeon, what happened?” Yeojin asked._**

 

**_The girl couldn't let out her words, everything was too much._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

**_3:49 PM._ **

 

**_Nayeon had finally calmed down._ **

 

“ ** _Nayeon, what happened?” Yeojin asked. The bunny girl looked at her. “You know... you know how we've been talking about me coming out to my parents for the past week?” The older girl nodded, and the younger one continued. “I-I.. finally worked up the courage. I.. told them. Everything. How I was a lesbian, about you, about how much we're in love..”_**

 

**_The bunny girl was starting to shake already. “They.. they..”_ **

 

“ ** _They disowned me, Yeojin. T-They... said that I was disgusting.. that I-I should be ashamed of myself... t-that... I'm not their daughter anymore. M-My dad... he even slapped me. He never hit me..”_**

 

**_“Oh my god, Nayeon,” Yeojin said. “I am so sorry. I-I didn't know.”_ **

 

“ ** _It's not your fault.” The younger girl said. “I... thought they would accept me... oh my god, Yeojin, what am I supposed to do?”_**

 

**_She hugged her girlfriend and started to sob into her shoulders. “What... am I going to do?”_ **

 

\------------------------------

 

June 9th, 2018. 11:19 AM.

 

“Honestly, I'm glad we haven't seen them,” Tzuyu said. “Your parents.”

 

“I know they're still here,” Nayeon replied. “In South Korea, anyways. Not that I've seen them in person, but I can see that their company office is still occupied.”

 

The younger girl was silent. “...Company? You never told us your parents owned a company.”

 

“Oh, well, you know..” The bunny girl fell silent. “Uh... Look, listen... I didn't think I needed to tell you. O-Or any of the girls, for that matter..”

 

“Which building is it?” The Taiwanese girl asked. The bunny girl looked away, but the younger girl continued. “Bunny. Which building is it?”

 

“T-This is why I didn't want to tell any of you!” Nayeon said. “Y-Y-You... you would...”

 

“B-Bunny,” Tzuyu said, approaching the older girl. Nayeon... is fine. She is. It's just... any time her parents are involved, she suddenly becomes a very sad girl. A girl who just wanted to be accepted and loved by her parents, but was instead shown hatred and disgust.

 

The bunny girl was shaking. “P-Please... d-don't be mad at me. P-P-Please...” 

 

Tzuyu put a hand on Nayeon's shoulder. “Hey! Hey... Nayeon, it's okay. I'm here, okay? I'm here.” She pulled the older girl into a hug.

 

“Tzuyu..”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:15 PM.

 

She needed to take the bunny girl out. Outside of that house, outside of that backyard. At first, she couldn't think of where to take her, but then it struck her. The beach.

 

Not because it was going to be summertime soon, but because of the smell of the ocean, and the feeling it emitted. Of course, she didn't expect them to swim or anything, just to simply have a stroll along the shore.

 

“...” Nayeon was staring at the ocean, while Tzuyu was holding her hand as they walked. The Taiwanese girl looked at her girlfriend. “Bunny.”

 

“...” She looked at her but didn't respond. The younger girl sighed. “Nayeon.”

 

The older girl was still silent. “....what is it?” She finally said. 

 

The Taiwanese girl sighed. “How are you feeling?” 

 

The brown-haired Korean girl was silent. “I... don't know. Fine, I guess.”

 

She looked at the beach. “..Thank you, Tzuyu.” 

 

The black-haired Taiwanese girl nodded. “Anything for my bunny.”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:17 PM.

 

Dahyun's parents have called the girl, asking her to meet them at the park. She wondered why, maybe they were having, after forever, a family picnic. Or... maybe they were going to tell the girl about their divorce.

 

Jihyo had offered to drive Dahyun there, but the blonde rejected. She insisted that she'll be going there on her own. And she did. She was there at the park, and she could see her parents sitting together on a bench.

 

The blonde approached them. “Hey Mom, hey Dad.”

 

“Sweetie, we're glad you could make it.” Her mother smiled. Dahyun's father looked at the girl. “Maybe it's just because it's been a while since I've seen you, Dahyun, but you look a bit brighter than usual.”

 

The blonde just slightly smiled. “A lot's been happening..” She sighed. “I'm sure you didn't call me to just talk to me, right? You have some news too, don't you?”

 

Her father nodded. “Should you tell her, or should I?” 

 

Her mother looked at Dahyun. “Dahyun, our divorce is finalized.”

 

The blonde knew this moment was going to happen. Any day now, they would call her over. Try to act all friendly, when in reality, her parents hated each other. Or, at the very least, didn't _love_ each other anymore. They would break this news to her and just expect her to be okay with it. Well, she wasn't okay.

 

“Okay,” Dahyun said, a little monotone.

 

“Dahyun?” Her mother asked. “Do you understand?”

 

“You're divorced.” She said. God, even saying it didn't feel real. All her life she's been used to her parents loving each other, she even looked up to them as THE standard for love. **_“I want a relationship like yours, mommy and daddy!”_**. She felt stupid for ever thinking that.

 

“We're so sorry.” Her father replied.

 

“It's fine.” The blonde stated, monotone. “Can I go now?”

 

“W-Well, we still wanted to check in on you.” Her mother said. “How your move with Jihyo has been.”

 

“I'm moved in with her. Happy? **Can I go now**?” Dahyun asked again.

 

Her mother could see it, she wasn't an idiot. Dahyun was angry. Dahyun's father, however... wasn't good at reading the blonde.

 

“Come on, it's been so long.” He said. “I feel like we deserve to hear a little more details.”

 

Dahyun scoffed. “You don't deserve anything.”

 

She turned around to start walking away.

 

“D-Dahyun!” Her mother shouted. “Don't talk to us like this! We've raised you better than that!”

 

The blonde turned around, anger in her eyes. “Oh really? You've raised me to believe that your love was something special when it turned out it was just fake. Your love is FAKE! I thought you loved each other, but you NEVER DID!”

 

“You don't understand.” Her father said. “Things just don't work out the way we want them to.”

 

“YOU PROMISED ME!” Dahyun yelled. “YOU PROMISED ME YOU TWO WOULD LOVE EACH OTHER TO THE END OF TIME! I BELIEVED YOU!”

 

At this point, tears to fall out of her eyes. “If... love isn't forever.... then..”

 

“Dubu.”

 

She heard a voice she wasn't expecting. She thought she told her not to come. Why is she here?

 

“J-Jihyo..”

 

“I knew this would happen.” The older girl said, pulling Dahyun into a hug. “It's okay..”

 

Dahyun's mother and father were a bit surprised at Jihyo's appearance, but they figured she would show up one way or another.

 

“Love is forever,” Jihyo said. “Our love is, anyways. Sure, you looked up to your parents, but sometimes you have to remember that things don't work out. But... I'll never stop loving you. I promise you: My heart belongs to you, and you only, okay? For as long as I live, I'll never let you go. Like we promised, Dahyun. Together forever.”

 

Her parents heard this, but they talked quietly.

 

“Their.. love?” Dahyun's father stated. “I see.”

 

“Saw that one coming.” The mother said. “You owe me 10 bucks.”

 

“I'm sure I owe you a lot more than that.” The man replied.

 

The older girl looked at Dahyun's parents. “I'll take it from here. Thank you.”

 

The parents just nodded and left.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:25 PM.

 

They stayed there until Dahyun had settled down. Once she knew she was okay, Jihyo pulled away from the hug. The blonde looked at her.

 

“...Gosh.” Dahyun said. “I yelled at my parents, Jihyo... I yelled at them.”

 

“It's okay.” The older girl replied. “I understand where you're coming from.”

 

“I feel so stupid.” The blonde said. “I knew their divorce was coming... For a long time, I knew this day was going to come. So... why did child me come out at that moment?”

 

“I don't think you've ever really accepted it, Dahyun,” Jihyo replied. “I mean, sure, you kept on telling me “they're getting divorced.”. But... I don't think you believed it. It.. just didn't feel real. But now, now that they've made it official... it's probably all come to you.”

 

“I'm going to miss those days, Jihyo.” The younger girl said. “The days I would come home to my parents, they'd be laughing, talking to each other happily. Sometimes they would kiss and I would just act disgusted. It's.. been like that for so long. And now... I'm just expected to... let it go like that?”

 

“And you would always tell me you wanted a love like theirs.” The dark brown-haired girl said. “I guess seeing a love you looked up to just... go away like that, it hurt bad.”

 

The blonde nodded. “Yeah... And a part of me thought of... You and I. I love you with all my heart. And... I'm so scared. Their love ending like that.. it scares me. I don't want that to happen to us.”

 

“As I told you, it won't,” Jihyo replied. “Say it with me: Together forever.”

 

“Together forever,” Dahyun repeated. “I... really love that.”

 

The blonde sighed. “I don't know what's been going on lately, but these past few days have been... pretty sad.”

 

The older girl let out a little laugh. “I noticed it too. Maybe we should change that?”

 

“Friend get together?”

 

“Yup!”

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: MEET UP AT THE MALL?**

 

**Seulgi: watch the caps bitch**

 

**Jihyo: ;-;**

 

**Dahyun: WHOMST'VE**

 

**Nayeon: did... you really just write that whole English word?**

 

**Momo: owo is that english?**

 

**Dahyun: SEULGI HOW DARE**

 

**Seulgi: watch the caps**

 

**Sana: I would love to, but we're... kind of in Japan.**

 

**Tzuyu: lol looks like we have to make a new group without the people in Japan.**

 

**Seulgi: smh how rude you stupid ass bitch**

 

**~~Kim Dahyun has kicked Kang Seulgi from the group chat!~~**

 

**Chaeyoung: OML**

 

**Momo: oh my god**

 

**Sana: that's not cool**

 

**Tzuyu: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

 

**Nayeon: holy fuck Seulgi just got murdered**

 

**~~Kim Dahyun has added Kang Seulgi into the groupchat~~**

 

**Dahyun: I brought you into this group chat, I can easily take you out.**

 

**Seulgi: smh dubu**

 

**Jihyo: only I can call her dubu ;-;**

 

**Chaeyoung: lol haven't we all called her dubu at one point**

 

**Wonpil: I haven't**

 

**Seulgi: god you and Mina have the same amount of activity on this group chat**

 

**Seulgi: like, I completely forget Mina is even on this group chat sometimes**

 

**Wonpil: I spend a lot of time with her.**

 

**Wonpil: if she's not using her phone, then I'm not going to use my phone**

 

**Dahyun: gosh wonpil you're an actual angel on earth**

 

**Nayeon: seriously man**

 

**Wonpil: I don't know about that**

 

**Wonpil: I just don't want to see other people hurting.**

 

**Tzuyu: so WHOLESOME**

 

**Jeongyeon: if you continue treating him like this then he'll become egotistical**

 

**Dahyun: jesus christ jeongyeon**

 

**Jeongyeon: it's happened to a friend of mine**

 

**Jeongyeon: everyone kept on praising her for how nice she was, and then the next moment she was SERIOUSLY full of herself.**

**Dahyun: wait like before you met me and jihyo?**

**Jeongyeon: yeah duh.**

**Jihyo: a kid got egotistical?**

**Jeongyeon: it's a kid of course she fucking did**

**Nayeon: wonpil isn't a child tho**

 

**Wonpil: honestly, while I do appreciate all of you calling me a good person...**

 

**Wonpil: I don't want you guys to JUST be saying that to me all the time, you know?**

 

**Wonpil: if that makes sense.**

 

**Nayeon: no I get it**

 

**Nayeon: u have a lot more qualities than just “he's so wholesome uwu”**

 

**Wonpil: thank you**

 

**Tzuyu: ok so... uh...**

 

**Chaeyoung: I like we all just ignored Jihyo asking if we wanted to have a friendly get together**

 

**Jihyo: that's so mean**

 

**Dahyun: jihyo, it's more like**

 

**Dahyun: WAAAHHHH! THAT'S SOO MEAANNN!**

 

**Nayeon: fucking cool it ouma**

 

**Dahyun: ouma?**

 

**Tzuyu: you losers really need to play Danganronpa**

 

**Seulgi: isn't that the one game where all your waifus and husbandos die, apparently**

 

**Tzuyu: ew who says that**

 

**Nayeon: changing subject**

 

**Nayeon: yes, it is that one game. Game series.**

 

**Seulgi: man I don't need that negative energy in my life**

 

**Jihyo: I tried playing it, but I cried after Maizono died**

 

**Dahyun: oh yeah**

 

**Dahyun: jihyo had a whole breakdown**

 

**Tzuyu: maizono's a whole ass bitch anyways**

 

**Nayeon: CHANGING SUBJECT**

 

**Nayeon: I'm sure Tzuyu and I can spend some time with you, Jihyo.**

 

**Nayeon: a mall though?**

 

**Jihyo: you don't like the mall?**

 

**Seulgi: buy me an outfit from there**

 

**Tzuyu: lol buy it yourself sailfish**

 

**Seulgi: AGAIN WITH THE SAILFISH**

 

**Sana: Seulgi, come.**

 

**Seulgi: ?**

 

**Sana: NOW**

 

**~~Minatozaki Sana is now offline~~**

 

**Momo: yeah come to the hotel pls**

 

**Momo: it's... important**

 

**~~Hirai Momo is now offline~~**

 

**Seulgi: uh, peace out**

 

**~~Kang Seulgi is now offline~~**

 

**Wonpil: So comeback preparations being made at JYP rn**

 

**Wonpil: I have to work overtime since I haven't been there lately.**

 

**Wonpil: Sungjin isn't pleased with me**

 

**Wonpil: so I won't be able to come**

 

**Wonpil: @MyouiMina**

 

**~~Myoui Mina is now online~~**

 

**Mina: Wonpil?**

 

**Wonpil: do you want to spend some time with the girls?**

 

**Mina: a mall?**

 

**Nayeon: mina's bubble keeps on disappearing**

 

**Tzuyu: she's really thinking about it**

 

**Mina: sure**

 

**Jihyo: YAY! Mina's going to come!**

 

**Dahyun: so, Jihyo, I, Mina, Nayeon, and Tzuyu are coming. Chaeyoung? Jeongyeon?**

 

**Jeongyeon: uh**

 

**Jeongyeon: something important came up**

 

**Jeongyeon: raincheck?**

 

**~~Yoo Jeongyeon is now offline~~**

 

**Dahyun: chae?**

 

**Chaeyoung: ya, I need a break from Kyungmin anyways**

 

**Tzuyu: OOF**

 

**Chaeyoung: no I mean like**

 

**Chaeyoung: He's my bf and all, but I need to spend some time with my girls.**

 

**Dahyun: aw <3**

 

**Tzuyu: ok well**

 

**Tzuyu: bunny and I are going to go then**

 

**Tzuyu: what time?**

 

**Jihyo: like, right now**

 

**Jihyo: we're heading to the car rn**

 

**Dahyun: ok jihyo's in the driver's seat already**

 

**Dahyun: start heading towards the mall**

 

**Chaeyoung: RACE TIME!**

 

**Mina: um... I don't have a car.**

 

**Dahyun: we're coming your way**

 

**~~Kang Seulgi is now online~~**

 

**Seulgi: poly?**

 

**Dahyun: what does that mean?**

 

**Nayeon: also Jihyo and Dahyun aren't even dating for there to be poly with Mina.**

 

**Tzuyu: ya lol**

 

**Seulgi: ok I was joking lol**

 

**~~Kang Seulgi is now offline~~**

 

**Tzuyu: alright, let's go**

 

\------------------------------

 

2:53 PM.

 

Mina heard a knock on her door. Usually, she would wear whatever, but since she's going out with her friends, Mina had put on something more... casual and stylish. She opened her door and saw Jihyo and Dahyun there.

 

“A-Ah.. did you dye your hair, Jihyo?” Mina asked. “I... didn't notice.”

 

“Oh, that's okay,” Jihyo replied. “I don't think we saw each other at all yesterday.”

 

Mina was silent. “You look good.” She said.

 

“A lot of us have brown hair.” Dahyun out loud, looking at Mina. “Jihyo, You, Jeongyeon, Sana, and Nayeon.”

 

“And Tzuyu, Momo, Seulgi, and Wonpil have black hair.” The older girl replied, looking at Dahyun. “Only You and Chaeyoung have different hair colors.”

 

“So I win.” The blonde replied. The Japanese girl was silent. “Should we go now?”

 

Jihyo looked at her. “Yeah, let's go.”

 

\------------------------------

 

3:37 PM.

 

Eventually, all of the friends were at the front of the mall. The ones that had chosen to go, of course.

 

“Just six?” Chaeyoung said. “Wow.”

 

The orange-haired girl looked at Dahyun. Chaeyoung.. noticed. It's been 11 days since Dahyun's birthday party, and she's interacted with the girl many times since then. She couldn't see the hurt in Dahyun's eyes anymore, so... she knew what has happened. She's hurt that the girl hasn't told her about their relationship.

 

Chae knows she isn't entitled to that information, but like she had told the blonde that day, it hurts to see her hurt. She thought maybe Dahyun would tell her just to let her know she's okay. But.. she hasn't. And Chaeyoung doesn't like that she hasn't.

 

“3 in Japan, 2 rainchecks,” Nayeon said. “Anyone else wants to leave before we start?”

 

“Even if I wanted to, Jihyo and Dahyun drove me here..” Mina said. “It would take me a long time to get home.”

 

“I see,” Nayeon replied. The Taiwanese girl looked at Nayeon. “Well, obviously they came together, bunny. You saw them walk here.”

 

“What's poly?” Mina asked. “I... saw Seulgi say that in the group chat.”

 

“Ah, it's nothing,” Chaeyoung replied. “Just Seulgi being Seulgi.”

 

“Seulgi.,” Mina replied. “I like her.”

 

All five of the girls looked at her. Not judgmentally, just... surprised. The only one to speak up was Chaeyoung. “Like-like?”

 

“Like-like?” The Japanese girl asked. “What does that mean?”

 

“Do you have a crush on her?” Nayeon asked.

 

The Japanese girl started to blush. “What? No..! I just like her as a friend! She's really nice to me!”

 

“Aww! Mina's so cute when she gets flustered!” Tzuyu teased.

 

Jihyo smiled. “Minguin, it's okay if you romantically like Seulgi.”

 

“I.. don't even know if I have a crush,” Mina replied.

 

“Hey, let's take this talk on the road,” Chaeyoung said. “We've been standing here too long, people are going to think we're weirdos”

 

And with that, the girls entered the mall.

 

They walked around, and Mina continued speaking.

 

“When you say crush... how do you know?” Mina asked.

 

Nayeon spoke up. “Like, when you're close to someone that you like, your heart starts to beat faster. Or for me, anyway, you start to think about them as more than a friend.”

 

“Hey, Minguin?” Tzuyu asked the soon to debut idol. The girl nodded. “Mina likes penguins, and her name is Mina. So, Minguin!”

 

“That's cute!” Nayeon said. “I like it! Minguin!”

 

“I-I didn't want to ask, because I've been your friend for so long... but what are all your nicknames?” Mina asked. “I hear bunny... dubu... chae.. but, any other ones?”

 

“We do have ones for everyone, but we never used them,” Jihyo replied. “You remember Yoda, right?-” The Japanese girl nodded. “-That's what we used to call Tzuyu, but she stopped liking that. Momo's nickname was peach, but she didn't like that. Sana's nickname was... um... nana? I don't remember, honestly, it's been too long. My nickname was..”

 

“ Jigglypuff,” Nayeon said.

 

“Why was it that, anyway?” Jihyo asked.

 

All the girls went silent, but Mina was confused. “Jigglypuff?” 

 

Chaeyoung spoke up. “Well, uh... because..”

 

“You have big boobs.” Nayeon bluntly stated. “Like, REALLY big boobs. And, uh... they jiggle.”

 

“Oh my gosh,” Dahyun said. “W-What the heck?” 

 

Jihyo started to blush. “H-Hey..” 

 

The blonde looked at the others (save for Mina) with a scolding expression. “You had the audacity to call her that! TO HER FACE!?”

 

“Hey, Sana came up with it!” Nayeon remarked. “She's the one who made a big deal of Jihyo's boobs!”

 

“Ugh, Sana's such a pervert!” Dahyun said. “I'm really going to give her a stern talking to!”

 

“You sound like a mom,” Tzuyu remarked. “Slow your roll, Dubu.”

 

“I-It's not that I'm ashamed of my boobs..” Jihyo said all of a sudden. “I... just don't want people to think that they're all there is to me, you know?”

 

“Oh trust me, Jihyo,” Nayeon said. “That's why we ditched Jigglypuff, it was starting to make us feel awful.” 

 

The soon to debut idol nodded. “Thanks.”

 

“What about Jeongyeon?” Mina asked. “Do you have a nickname for her?”

 

“Ah...” Tzuyu thought about it. “Not really. Jeongyeon's kind of boring.”

 

“Yeah, so... no nicknames for her.” Nayeon replied. “Even if we did give her one, she probably would want us to immediately ditch it.”

 

“I dunno... I like Jeongyeon.” Mina replied. “I thought maybe she would like Yeonnie.”

 

“Yeonnie, huh?” Dahyun said. “I called her Jeongyeonnie once.”

 

“You did?” Nayeon asked. “Did she diss you immediately?”

 

“I’m literally one of her best friends, so no, she didn’t,” Dahyun replied.

 

“Ah, so maybe Jeongyeon isn't boring after all!” Tzuyu said.

 

“Hey, do any of you want something?” Jihyo asked, looking at one of the ice cream shops.

 

“I'm good, how about you, honey?” Nayeon asked Tzuyu. The tall girl just shook her head. “Don't feel like getting ice cream.”

 

“Min-” Jihyo noticed that Mina had already made her way inside the shop. “Chaeyoung and Dahyun?”

 

The two girls just shook their heads. The soon to debut idol looked inside the shop. “Okay, I'll go pay for Mina.”

 

Jihyo made her way inside the shop and saw Mina was in the process of ordering a 3-scoop cone. The older girl approached the Japanese girl. She waited until Mina was done ordering, and then she spoke up. “I'll pay for her.”

 

The cashier just nodded, and Jihyo paid with her credit card. The Japanese girl felt a bit sad.

 

“You... didn't have to do that,” Mina said. Jihyo looked at her and spoke. “I pay for the girls all of the time! I haven't paid for you yet, so it's only fair I do it now!”

 

The Japanese girl... appreciated it. Sometimes it's hard to remember that she deserves so many good things. It's so easy to fall back into her mom's words, but she needs to fight. Fight it. Miss Myoui isn't here anymore. Her friends are here. _Jihyo's here_.

 

“Thank you.” Mina smiled at the girl. “Really, I mean it.”

 

Mina was then handed her cone by the ice cream server, and the two girls headed out of the shop, meeting up with their friends.

 

“Oh hey!” Tzuyu said. “Damn, that cone looks good... Oh well, gotta live with my choices.”

 

 The Japanese girl looked at her cone, then looked at Tzuyu. “Y-You can have it if you want..”

 

The Taiwanese girl REALLY didn't like the thought of just taking away Mina's ice cream. “No. It's yours. Enjoy it, Minguin.”

 

“Okay..” Mina fell silent.

 

“Let's continue, shall we?” Nayeon asked, and the girls continued walking their way through the mall.

 

“Did we just about cover all the nicknames?” Chaeyoung asked. The other girls thought about it. Tzuyu spoke up. “I think that's about it.”

 

The orange-haired girl looked at Dahyun, who was holding hands with Jihyo. The conversations started to diverge, so all she saw was Dahyun smiling and looking at Jihyo with so much love.

 

Just tell me Dahyun. Dammit! Tell me!

 

“Chae, you're about to walk into a tree,” Tzuyu remarked. The girl looked at her confused, and then

 

BAM!

 

“Owwwwww!”

 

Chaeyoung had walked into one of those planted fake trees in the mall, the ones planted inside on those big flower pots. It.. wasn't a pretty sight. Of course, Tzuyu started to laugh, which caught the other girls' attention.

 

“Oh my gosh, Chaeyoung, are you okay?” Jihyo said, running to the girl with concern. 

 

Chaeyoung had fallen down, but she slowly got up. “Y-Yeah, I'm fine. That just took me by surprise.”

 

“It was literally right there!” Tzuyu said between laughs. “You were facing it!”

 

“Okay, well...” Chaeyoung replied. “I was spacing out!”

 

“Why would you space while walking in a crowded mall!?” Dahyun yelled-asked.

 

Of course, this caught the attention of bystanders, who were asking if the girl was okay.

 

“Yeah, don't worry people!” Chaeyoung said. “I'm A-Okay!”

 

The crowd started to dissipate. Tzuyu was still laughing. “I really should have recorded that!”

 

“Oh shut up!” Chaeyoung said, annoyed. “Jeez! Now those people are going to think I'm an idiot!”

 

“Trust me, they don't gotta see that to know,” Tzuyu remarked. The orange-haired girl glared at her. “You suck!”

 

And then, they heard something rare. Mina laughed. She actually _laughed_. It was one of the cutest laughs in the world. The one that warms your heart up just by hearing it.

 

It wasn't for long, but it was amazing to hear. This immediately stopped any conflict Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were having, since just hearing Mina's laugh was something special.

 

There was silence between the group. The Japanese girl just continued enjoying her ice cream cone.

 

“A-Anyways,” Nayeon said. “Minguin, you said you like penguins, right?”

 

The Japanese girl nodded. “Yes. I also like swans.”

 

“Swans?” The blonde asked. The Japanese girl nodded again. “I just like them.. is... that bad?”

 

Dahyun shook her head. “No, that's fine! You don't need a reason to like something!”

 

“Okay..” Mina said. They continued walking. The Japanese girl trailed behind a bit just to have a full look at her friends. This... is what she's been missing out on the past three years. Every time they invited her out, and she just rejected them... she was missing out on this. Missing out on hearing their fun conversations, seeing their smiles, feeling their warmth...

 

While Mina was angry at herself for depriving herself of this joy for three years, she was also happy with herself for FINALLY deciding to go out with them. If this is how the rest of their hangouts is going to go, with her interacting with them... she would like to hang out with them more.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:52 PM

 

They eventually found themselves inside a store with plushies, and they looked around. Tzuyu was looking for a bunny, while Nayeon looked for a bee. Chaeyoung was.. just walking around the store, not paying attention to anything. Dahyun and Jihyo, however, were looking for one thing, and one thing only: A penguin.

 

Mina had decided to stay behind because she saw something that interested her in another store. They had agreed to still meet up in the front of the plush store, and Mina specifically requested to text her once they're done. She also specified if she doesn't respond or show up in 3 minutes, then they should go look for her.

 

The Japanese girl wandered into a jewelry store, looking at all the pretty necklaces. She wasn't looking for anything in particular, just wanting to see all the pretty things. Then, she received a call. It was from Seulgi, so she immediately picked up.

 

“ **Hey, girl! I just wanted to check up on you!** ” Seulgi said. “ **How's the mall treating you?”**

 

“It's been good, Seulgi,” Mina replied. “How about you in Japan? What.. what happened earlier in the group chat”

 

“ **Ah, it was just a false call. So, we're in Kobe.** ” Seulgi replied. “ **The ballet school was in Kobe too... you used to live here, right? In Kobe?** ”

 

“Y-Yeah, I lived in Kobe before I moved here..” The Japanese girl replied. “

 

“ **Hey... so... I feel a bit bad that I'm just now asking, but..** ” The Korean girl sighed. “ **Where are your parents? I'm... pretty sure you don't talk to them anymore, right?** ”

 

“...Y-Yeah, I don't.” The younger girl replied. “My father died in 2013... and I lost contact... I-I can't... I can't lie to you, Seulgi.”

 

“ **Huh?** ” The older girl said. Mina made sure the jewelry store was empty enough, save for the employee in the front. She moved to the back and started to speak.

 

“When I was young... I used to go to that ballet school.” Mina replied. “M-My mom wanted me to... but as I got older... I slowly stopped liking ballet. I-I couldn't enjoy it, it was hurting me to do it. So... I wanted to leave school. I told my parents that I wanted to leave... M-My dad agreed, but my mom..”

 

Mina could already feel herself shaking. Please no, she thought. Not here. _Not now_.

 

“My mom... she yelled at me. S-She told me... that I was disgracing our family.. b-because ballet was a family tradition. A-After that... she hated me.” Mina took a deep breath. “And when dad died... I couldn't take it anymore. I had... I had to leave. I-I saved up for the last two years and in 2015... I left..”

 

Mina's voice started to break up, but she kept strong. “A-And.. at the airport, the day that I left.. M-My mom.. she let her true colors out. S-She... told me so much _shit_. S-She yelled at me... called me stupid... S-She said... t-that... I was a.. d-d-disappointment.”

 

“ **Oh my god,** ” Seulgi said. “Mina... **I wish I was there in person. I want to hug you!** ”

 

“I-It's okay,” Mina replied. She could still feel the tears about to come in, and her shaking hand intensified... but she fought it. Her mother isn't here anymore. Miss Myoui can't hurt her. She's here. Her friends are here. _Seulgi's_... not here.

 

Oh god. Seulgi isn't here. It's just a phone. She's.. talking to a phone. A phone can't help her. A phone can't hug her and tell her everything's okay. She can't feel comforting warmth from a phone.

 

“A-Ah..” Mina... broke. “I-I wish.. you were here.”

 

Seulgi knew exactly what was going to happen.

 

“ **Take a deep breath, okay?** ” Seulgi said. “ **I know I'm not here, but-** ”

 

Mina dropped her phone, then.. the tears came. She fell on the ground and huddled into the corner.

 

“ **Mina?** ” Seulgi said. “ **Mina!** ”

 

It all started to happen again. It was like her mother was here. She could hear it, as clear as day.

 

“ ** _You're such a fucking disappointment.”_**

 

Oh god. She's here. She's going to hurt her. Miss Myoui is going to hurt Mina. She started to hyperventilate, and the tears just couldn't stop coming. The employee in the front didn't even hear her, they must have gone away.

 

She's... alone. Mina's alone, and her mother's going to hurt her. Why? Why did this happen? She… she could see her. She could see feet just in her vision. Her mother... she's going to hurt her.

 

“Mina!” A very familiar voice said. It's not... her. It isn't Miss Myoui. Who is it? The figure knelt down.

 

“J-Jihyo..” Mina just made out. The older girl hugged the younger girl. “It's okay, you're okay. I'm here.”

 

Jihyo's here...

 

_Jihyo's here._

 

Jihyo... her warmth. Her soothing voice reminding Mina that she's okay. That Jihyo is here for her. Miss Myoui isn't here. Not anymore. Mina doesn't hear her voice anymore. All she hears now is

 

“I'm here for you, Mina. You're okay. It's going to be okay.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:15

 

Jihyo held Mina until she stopped crying. God, it hurt her to see Mina this way. Just a few minutes ago she heard Mina laugh for the first time. And now.. she's seeing Mina in pain.

 

The Japanese girl didn't say anything, she just wanted to be held by Jihyo. The rest of the girls had already arrived, but they hadn't said anything. Dahyun was holding a big penguin plushie Jihyo had bought for Mina. They had planned on finding the girl and surprising her with it... but that didn't happen.

 

“...Jihyo.” Mina said. “T-Thank you.”

 

“You're welcome,” Jihyo replied. “Can you stand up?”

 

The older girl got up and helped the Japanese girl up. She wiped some of Mina's leftover tears away.

 

“You're okay, Mina,” Jihyo said. The Japanese girl looked at her. “I... need to talk to you... you and Dahyun.”

 

Chaeyoung wanted to say something, but Dahyun immediately walked over to Mina. The orange-haired girl sighed. She saw this breakdown too, so why was Mina just counting only Jihyo and Dahyun? Her, Nayeon, and Tzuyu saw it! How rude! Mina's so-

 

“Let's give them some space,” Nayeon said. “Come on you two.”

 

“What?” Chaeyoung said. “You did see that too, right?”

 

“Yes, but I'm not going to make a big deal of it,” Nayeon replied. “It's Mina we're talking about.”

 

“...” The orange-haired girl groaned in frustration and walked out. Mina... had seen this interaction.

 

“W-What's-” a sniff. “her deal?” Mina asked. The bunny girl looked at the Japanese girl. “I don't know. I'll go talk to her.”

 

As Nayeon walked out of the store, she heard the blonde telling Mina about the penguin plush.

 

“Ok, so lo-”

 

“Son Chaeyoung, just WHAT is your problem?!” Nayeon said.

 

“Ugh,” Chaeyoung replied. “Now you're going to try and act like the oldest?”

 

“Just...” The bunny girl sighed. “Look, you know how Mina is.”

 

“It's...” The orange-haired girl slowly calmed herself. “It's not Mina. It's Jihyo and Dahyun.”

 

“What?” The older girl said. “I don't understand.”

 

“You know how Dahyun has been in love with..” Chaeyoung moved closer to Nayeon so no one could hear their conversation. “In love with Jihyo for such a long time? I know you weren't there when Dahyun was depressed, but... it was really bad. So, when I saw Dahyun on her birthday... I saw the same pain in her eyes that she had so many years ago. And I knew it was because she was hiding her feelings for Jihyo. So... I told her that she needed to confess her feelings to Jihyo. For her sake, so she would stop hurting. And... I see it. Dahyun isn't hurting anymore, so... that means she must be together with Jihyo now.”

 

“But why would that frustrate you?” Nayeon asked. 

 

The orange-haired girl sighed. “Because... Dahyun knows how concerned I am for her... and now that she's happy, she should at least tell me that she's okay now, because... as far as she concerned, I could still be worried sick for her.”

 

The bunny girl nodded. “Okay. Apologize to Mina, though. She doesn't deserve any ill will right now.” The younger girl walked back inside the shop with Nayeon.

 

To their surprise, Mina was tightly hugging the penguin plush, while Jihyo and Dahyun were talking to Tzuyu. The three girls faced Chaeyoung.

 

“Hey, Chae, are you okay?” Dahyun asked. 

 

The orange-haired girl looked at her. “Can I talk to you in private, Dahyun?” 

 

The blonde looked at her girlfriend. “Go, Dubu, we'll be okay here,” Jihyo replied. 

 

Chaeyoung exited, and Dahyun followed her out.

 

“What is it, Chae?” Dahyun asked. 

 

The orange-haired girl looked at her. “It almost feels like you forget our conversation on your birthday.”

 

The blonde fell silent. “I-I didn't forget.” 

 

Chaeyoung groaned. “Dahyun, I don't want to see you hurt. And... I don't see that pain in your eyes anymore. I just see happiness in them now, so I know. You told Jihyo, didn't you?”

 

Dahyun just looked at her, and the orange-haired girl continued. “You told Jihyo about your feelings, and she felt the same way, right?”

 

“...” The blonde's stare almost turned into a glare. “Chae, please drop this.”

 

“But I'm concerned about you, Dahyun!” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“Don't worry about me, okay?” The blonde said. “I'm fine now, okay?”

 

Chaeyoung fell silent. So.. Dahyun wasn't going to tell her about their relationship, then. Fine. Guess she'll just wait until she does.

 

“Okay.” The orange-haired girl said. “I'm glad that you aren't hurting, Dahyun.”

 

Back in the shop, Mina was still silently hugging the penguin plush. Jihyo... bought this for her. She truly cares about Mina. Jihyo...

 

“Hey, Minguin,” Jihyo said. “I would like to follow up on that talk.”

 

The girl looked at her. “Okay.”

 

Mina looked at her phone, seeing the call with Seulgi was still going on.

 

“Seulgi..?” Mina asked, picking her phone up.

 

“ **Oh my god..** ” Seulgi said. “ **I-I heard you... then I-I heard voices.. and I didn't know what was going on.** ”

 

“Why.. didn't you hang up?” Mina asked. There was silence on the other line, and then she spoke up.

 

“ **Even if I'm not there physically, I won't just abandon you, Mina,** ” Seulgi replied. “ **You're okay now, right?** ”

 

The girl nodded, but then she realized Seulgi couldn't see that. “Yes. Thank you, Seulgi.”

 

“ **...what? …really? ...ugh.** ” Seulgi spoke into the phone more directly. “ **So sorry, Mina, but I have to go. Sana and Momo found something that seems pretty urgent.** ”

 

“It's okay,” Mina said. “Jihyo's here. A-And the others too. I'll be fine. You can go now.”

 

Seulgi hung up. Jihyo was respectful and waited for the conversation to end, and then she spoke up. “Is there somewhere you would like to go? Maybe place that you feel safe in.”

 

“Ah...” Mina fell silent, then spoke up. “My forest.”

 

“Forest?” Jihyo said. The Japanese girl nodded. “Yeah.”

 

Without even thinking, Mina intertwined her hand with Jihyo's and led the girl away from the shop.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Nayeon: lol so jihyo and mina just totally dipped**

 

**Nayeon: like, they were holding hands and everything**

 

**Seulgi: oh so it's jihyo and mina?**

 

**Seulgi: JiNa?**

 

**Seulgi: MiHyo**

 

**Seulgi: MiHyo!**

 

**Chaeyoung: also Dahyun's following them lol**

 

**Dahyun: idk where they're going but Mina said it was fine I follow them so**

 

**Jeongyeon: ok so**

 

**Jeongyeon: turns out what I thought was an emergency was actually nothing.**

 

**Seulgi: lol what was it**

 

**Jeongyeon: turns out seungyeon is a drama queen**

 

**Jeongyeon: sigh stupid sister**

 

**Seulgi: hey I just realized how unoriginal your parents are**

 

**Jeongyeon: what?**

 

**Seulgi: Jeongyeon, Seungyeon**

 

**Seulgi: names end with YEON**

 

**Jeongyeon: ah...**

 

**Jeongyeon: well.**

 

**Jeongyeon: my birth name is actually Yoo Kyungwan**

 

**Seulgi: Kyungwan?**

 

**Seulgi: holy crap I think I've dated a girl named Kyungwan at one point**

 

**Seulgi: damn, I love that name.**

 

**Seulgi: such a nice girl's name**

 

**Jeongyeon: GIRL'S NAME?**

 

**Jeongyeon: KYUNGWAN IS A GOOD GIRL'S NAME?**

 

**Dahyun: lol seulgi u just opened a can of worms.**

 

**Jeongyeon: kids used to bully me because they thought Kyungwan sounded like a boy's name**

 

**Seulgi: lol what a bunch of dumbass kids**

 

**Seulgi: so then you renamed yourself?**

 

**Jeongyeon: yeah**

 

**Jeongyeon: I really looked up to Seungyeon, so I thought “Why not just change my name to Jeongyeon?”**

 

**Jeongyeon: I don't regret it, honestly.**

 

**Seulgi: meh you don't really look like a Kyungwan anyways**

 

**Seulgi: Jeongyeon definitely fits you better**

 

**Jeongyeon: thank you**

 

\------------------------------

 

4:52 PM

 

Eventually, Jihyo, Dahyun, and Mina ended up in the forest. Of course, Jihyo drove them.

 

“I've seen this forest before,” Jihyo said. “I always thought it looked pretty.”

 

Mina nodded. “It really is.”

 

The Japanese girl led the two girls over to her favorite spot. The blonde commented. “So, you spend a lot of time in this specific spot?”

 

The brown-haired Japanese girl nodded. “Usually when I need to take a break for everything.”

 

“It's so beautiful out here,” Dahyun replied. “You picked a good place.”

 

Mina frowned. “Ah, I didn't bring my blanket..”

 

“Blanket?” Jihyo asked. The Japanese girl nodded. “I usually set a blanket down here so I can lie down.”

 

Dahyun smiled as she saw the sun. “We don't need to lie down.”

 

She walked over to Mina. “Have you ever just wanted to play around here? Run around, enjoy the outside?”

 

The Japanese girl thought about it. “I-I haven't really thought about that.”

 

“Okay,” Dahyun said. “Then... catch me if you can!”

 

The blonde took off. Jihyo smiled. “I see what she's doing.” Mina looked at her. “Huh?”

 

The older girl smiled at her. “Follow her. This is going to be fine, I promise.”

 

Jihyo started to chase after Dahyun, and Mina stood there. So... this is what it's like. Like Wonpil said... Jihyo, Dahyun, Him, Seulgi, all of her other friends.. they care for her.

 

Why spend so much time in the darkness, when you can live your life in the light?

 

Mina took off, following the other girls. For the first time in forever, she felt like she could run for a good reason. She was running towards the bright future ahead.

 

Myoui Mina is going to be okay.


	15. Sign Of The Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> flashbacks and stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm liek 100% sure the translations i used are inaccurate but whatever this is fanfiction not a professional book

June 10th, 2018. 2:31 PM

 

At Nayeon's house, the bunny girl was getting a little steamy with Tzuyu. Ever since they've kissed, they have been “practicing” all over the place. Right now, Nayeon was sat on the kitchen counter, while Tzuyu was just in front of her. The two girls were making out.

 

After a couple more seconds, they pulled away for air.

 

Tzuyu giggled. “J-Jeez, bunny... do you think we've...practiced enough?”

 

“Mmm... maybe not quite.” Nayeon smiled, going in for another kiss.

 

There was a knock on the door. Tzuyu cleared her throat, and Nayeon sighed.

 

“I'll go get that,” Nayeon said, getting off from the counter. Tzuyu looked at the door. “Yup..”

 

The bunny girl opened the door, and to her surprise, Mina was waiting behind it.

 

“Oh, hey,” Nayeon said. “This is unexpected.”

 

“Ah... I hope I'm not interrupting something.” Mina said. She was holding something in her hands, it looked like a container.

 

“No, it's okay,” Tzuyu said. “Come on, Minguin.”

 

The Japanese girl let out a light smile and entered the house. She set the container on the kitchen counter.

 

“Ah..” Tzuyu was going to comment on that, but she just let it pass. The bunny girl looked at the Japanese girl curiously.

 

“What'd you bring us, Mina?” Nayeon asked. The Japanese girl bowed to them, and then let out another smile.

 

“Ah, well, I never congratulated you two properly,” Mina said. “On your relationship.”

 

“O-Oh, well..” The bunny girl was a bit silent. “T-Thank you.”

 

“It's a cake I baked for you two,” Mina said. “At first I was going to make it the shape of a bunny, but then I realized that that would mean that I have to cut it open, and since we call you bunny, that means that I'd be cutting YOU open. So.. I just made it to the shape of a big chocolate bar, since I've heard a saying that love is sweet like candy.”

 

“Oh! That's a What is Love reference!” The younger girl said.

 

“Huh?” The Japanese girl asked.

 

“Ah, a song Jeongyeon came up with.” The bunny girl replied. “It was really annoying, though.”

 

“I wanna know know know know! What is Love?” Tzuyu sang.

 

The bunny girl shook her head, then opened the container. “Wow, that smells really good!”

 

“I just baked it an hour ago,” Mina said. “Once I was done baking it, I went over here as fast as possible!”

 

Tzuyu couldn't help but just... take in what was going on. This is _Mina_ talking to them. The quiet girl who would only say a few words, if they were lucky. But now here she was, making conversation, talking and smiling like she's been doing it forever!

 

Nayeon.. could still see it. She could still see the pain in Mina's eyes. The sadness.. everything. But she could also see that Mina was really trying. The girl was trying to heal, to get rid of the pain.

 

Mina... started to panic. Oh god. What is she doing? What if they're thinking she's weird? What if they-

 

Stop it, Mina! They don't want to hurt you! They care about you! Remember that!

 

“...” Mina let out a little gasp, then she started to hate herself for that.

 

“Mina?” Nayeon asked.

 

“A-Ah..” The Japanese girl fell silent, then spoke up again. “I-I'll be out of your way, now!”

 

Before Mina could even take a step towards the exit, Nayeon approached her, slowly reaching for Mina's hand.

 

“Take a deep breath,” Nayeon said. “It's okay. You're okay.”

 

Nayeon knew exactly what Mina was going through. Of course, she did.

 

“...thank you,” Mina said quietly.

 

Tzuyu didn't want to be insensitive, but she didn't know what to do. So she walked over to the counter and looked into the container

 

“Mina, you okay now?” Tzuyu asked, looking at the Japanese girl.

 

“Y-Yeah..” Mina replied. “I'm... sorry. I was trying something different, but I guess I'm not ready to exit my comfort zone just yet.”

 

“It's fine,” Nayeon replied. “These things take time. We'll be here for you, every step of the way.”

 

The bunny girl hugged the Japanese girl.

 

\------------------------------

 

3:52 PM.

 

“Yoo Jeongyeon, you listening?”

 

“Ah, what the heck? Why are you calling me by my full name?”

 

“Well I'm trying to talk to you, but you're not listening.”

 

“I got something in my mind, Jihyo.”

 

“Oohhh? Like?”

 

Jeongyeon and Jihyo were at the park, walking along the path and talking.

 

“You and Mina,” Jeongyeon said. “L-Look, I'm not saying anything negative about it. I love the fact that you're helping her because I want to help her too. It's just... I don't know..”

 

“Dubu, right?” Jihyo asked. “Mina and I have been close, but you must be worried about Dahyun, too?”

 

“Ah... how did you figure?” The older girl asked. 

 

The soon to debut idol just looked at the sky. “Dahyun talked me to me yesterday about how Chaeyoung came to her, and how concerned she was for her.”

 

“Dahyun seemed like she was hurting,” Jeongyeon replied. “I would tell you why, but despite our closeness, it ain’t my place to tell you why, that’s Dahyun’s thing to tell you.”

 

“Well, luckily for me, I have Dahyun's permission to tell you this!” Jihyo said. “Dahyun and I are in a relationship!”

 

The older girl was a bit shocked. This... was unexpected. I guess all those pep talks with Dahyun finally worked out.

 

“I-I'm so happy for you two!” Jeongyeon replied. “W-When did Dahyun confess?”

 

“Oh, you think Dahyun confessed?” Jihyo said, scratching her cheek with her index finger. “I confessed.”

 

Now that's really unexpected.

 

“Y-You confessed!?” The older girl asked. “Wow... I kinda figured you had feelings for Dahyun, but I thought Dahyun would confess first!”

 

“Ah..” Jihyo fell silent. “I beat her to it, haha..”

 

The younger girl coughed. “Jeongyeon, what's been going on in your life? I’m sorry that it’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

 

“Oh, that’s fine. You know I’ve been busy with work anyways..” Jeongyeon said. “I've been having dates with this girl, her name is Jangmi.”

 

“Jangmi?” The younger girl said. “Jeongyeon, Jangmi! Like the JJ project!”

 

“Meh, she's nice..” The older girl said. “Nice enough, but... ah.... she isn't my type.”

 

“Ohh..” The younger girl was quiet. “Are you going to break it off?”

 

“I've been paying, so I guess I should,” Jeongyeon said. “How about you? How're things been go-... debut!”

 

“Yes!” Jihyo said.

 

“I remember when we first met…”

 

\------------------------------

 

**_May 14th, 2011. 1:45 PM._ **

 

“ ** _Jisoo-unnie, I want to go home!” Dahyun whined._**

 

**_The two girls were at the park, looking for some ducks._ **

 

“ ** _Dubu, we still need to find a duck so we can feed it!” Jisoo replied. “When we're done, I promise we'll go home!”_**

 

“ ** _Meehh..” The younger girl whined._**

 

**_The two girls approached the lake, seeing a duck in the lake, right next to the shore._ **

 

“ ** _There it is!” Dahyun said, getting a piece of bread out from the bag Jisoo was holding._**

 

“ ** _Ah, you know those are bad for ducks, right?” A voice said, approaching the two girls._**

 

**_A girl with medium length hair stood in front of the two girls._ **

 

“ ** _Stranger danger?” Dahyun asked._**

 

“ ** _Ah, I'm Park Jisoo!” Jisoo introduced herself. “This is my best friend, Kim Dahyun!”_**

 

“ ** _Not danger,” Dahyun remarked._**

 

“ ** _Name's Yoo Jeongyeon.” The girl introduced herself. “Like I said, I don't think you should be feeding those ducks bread.”_**

 

“ ** _But that's what you think!” Dahyun said._**

 

“ ** _How old are you?” Jeongyeon asked. “You act like a 5-year-old.”_**

 

“ ** _Wow, that's rude!” Dahyun said. “I'm 12, you jerk!”_**

 

“ ** _Ah,” Jeongyeon said. “Are you one of those “I'm mature for my age” types?”_**

 

**_The younger girl pouted. “Geez.”_ **

 

**_Jisoo just smiled awkwardly._ **

 

“ ** _A-Ah.,” Jisoo said. “Well, if we can't feed ducks bread, then what can we feed them?”_**

 

**_Jeongyeon opened the bag on her waist, pulling a tiny plastic baggie filled with small pieces of lettuce._ **

 

“ ** _This,” Jeongyeon said. She let the two girls take out a piece, and watched as they slowly gave the lettuce to the duck._**

 

\------------------------------

 

June 10th, 2018. 3:58 PM.

 

“I don't think Dahyun liked you at first,” Jihyo said.

 

“Oh, she definitely did NOT.” Jeongyeon laughed.

 

The soon to debut idol smiled at the older girl. “It's crazy to think that was only 7 years ago. It feels like an eternity had happened since that day.”

 

“We grew up a lot,” Jeongyeon replied. “Especially Dahyun.”

 

Jihyo sadly smiled. “I wish I could have done more for her back then.”

 

“You got her out of it, Jihyo,” Jeongyeon replied. “She was falling into despair, but you pulled her out. YOU gave her hope. Sure, I'm sure you would have preferred that Dahyun had not suffered at all, but... that experience helped her grow, and it also has helped you grow, too!”

 

The younger girl nodded. “I know, unnie.”

 

“Unnie?” The older girl questioned. Jihyo blushed a bit. “Ah, sorry... I guess thinking about the old times must have brought that out of me.”

 

“No, that's okay,” Jeongyeon said.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_December 25th, 2015. 3:39 PM._ **

 

**_Mina stood in front of a cafe. She... just stood there. She didn't really know what she was doing, but she just needed to be outside. This is her first Christmas without family... she just needed to see other people be happy._ **

 

**_Just through the window, she could see a group of nine girls talking and laughing, sitting on a three couch arrangement. She wishes she could be like them, laughing and socializing. But... that didn't seem to be the life for her._ **

 

“ ** _Hey, you could catch a cold standing out like that.” A familiar voice said. Mina told around to face the source._**

 

“ ** _A-Ah, Wonpil-kun, I'm sorry!” The girl said, bowing._**

 

“ ** _Don't apologize, it's okay,” Wonpil said. “It's very cold outside, you should be inside.”_**

 

“ ** _It was getting lonely,” Mina replied. The boy nodded. “I see. I came here to meet up with someone, but maybe you can come in with me?”_**

 

**_The girl looked down. “I-I... I don't know.”_ **

 

“ ** _Please?” He asked. “I'd rather you be inside where it's warm. I can walk you home after I'm done here.”_**

 

**_The Japanese girl looked at him. “Okay..”_ **

 

**_Mina and Wonpil entered the cafe. Immediately, one of the nine girls Mina had been watching stood up._ **

 

“ ** _Heeyyy! Sunbae, over here!” A girl with red hair said._**

 

**_Red hair? How strange... Mina thought._ **

 

**_Wonpil approached the nine girls, while Mina was just behind him._ **

 

“ ** _There you are, Jihyo,” Wonpil said._**

 

“ ** _More like there you are, sunbae!” Jihyo said. “I almost thought you weren't going to come!”_**

 

“ ** _It would have been not nice to stand a girl up, ya know?!” A girl with long black hair said._**

 

“ ** _Seulgi, don't be rude.” A Japanese girl with brown hair said._**

 

“ ** _You always silence me! You're so rude Minatozaki-chan!” Seulgi replied._**

 

“ ** _I thought we were on a first-name basis..” Minatozaki said, rolling her eyes._**

 

“ ** _Hey, who's the cutie?” Another Korean girl asked. She too had brown hair._**

 

“ ** _Ah, this is Mina,” Wonpil said._**

 

**_Mina waved at the girls, trying to not make eye contact._ **

 

“ ** _Mina..?” A girl with short hair said. “Last name, please?”_**

 

“ ** _M-Myoui Mina..” Mina introduced herself. “I-It's nice to meet you.”_**

 

“ ** _Oh, I think I've seen her before!” A Japanese girl with blonde hair said. “She was just standing out there!”_**

 

“ ** _In the cold?” Jihyo said. “Oh, you poor thing. You shouldn't be outside in the cold for so long.”_**

 

**_Jihyo slowly started to approach Mina, but the girl put a hand up._ **

 

“ ** _I-I'm okay..” Mina said. She gave Wonpil a look of “can we please leave?” The keyboardist just nodded._**

 

“ ** _Ok, Jihyo, let's go talk. I need to walk Mina home after this.” Wonpil said._**

 

“ ** _It's Christmas today, Wonpilll.” A Korean girl with mixed hair said. “You don't want to spend Christmas with your girl frieeenndss?”_**

 

**_Mina didn't even notice it, but a younger-looking girl had approached her. She was Taiwanese._ **

 

“ ** _Do you have anyone to spend Christmas with?” The young girl asked._**

 

“ ** _J-Just Wonpil,” Mina said._**

 

“ ** _I see.” The girl said. “You could spend Christmas with us! We're friends with Wonpil too!”_**

 

**_Mina looked away. “N-No, that's okay..”_ **

 

“ ** _You sure?” The girl asked. “I'm sure Wonpil takes good care of you, but it'd be nice to get to know you! You seem like a really nice girl!”_**

 

**_The Taiwanese girl cleared her throat. “Let me introduce myself, so we won't be strangers anymore! My name's Chou Tzuyu!”_ **

 

**_Mina just bowed to her. “N-Nice to meet you, Chou-chan.”_ **

 

“ ** _Oh, please, you can call me Tzuyu,” Tzuyu said. Mina fell silent. “I-I don't know.. I don't want to be rude.”_**

 

**_Mina looked over to see Wonpil and Jihyo were still talking. She felt stuck. It's not that these girls seemed unpleasant, as a matter of fact, she liked their vibe. She... just didn't want to be a standout._ **

 

**_But... maybe..._ **

 

**_If they're willing to have her join their little group, then maybe... it won't be that bad? She shouldn't waste an opportunity like this._ **

 

“ ** _Tzuyu-ah, if she doesn't want to spend Christmas with us, then you shouldn't force her.” The short-haired Korean girl said._**

 

“ ** _But unnie-”_**

 

“ ** _No, she's right.” One of the brown-haired Korean girls said. “Mina, I'm so sorry that she's-”_**

 

“ ** _I-I'm fine with it..” Mina said. “I've... been wanting to make friends for a while now.”_**

 

**_The blonde Japanese girl approached Mina. “あなたは日本人ですよね?” (You're Japanese, right?)_ **

 

**_Mina was starstruck. She knew the girl was Japanese, but... she hadn't heard Japanese in such a long time._ **

 

“ ** _はい.” (Yes.) Mina replied. The blonde nodded. “私の名前は平井ももです.” (My name is Hirai Momo.)_**

 

“ ** _名井南_** ** _.” (Myoui Mina) The younger girl replied._**

 

**_The older girl smiled. “はじめまして、明井ちゃん!” (Nice to meet you, Myoui-chan!)_ **

 

**_The other Japanese girl approached the two girls. “Ah... it's been a while since I spoke Japanese, but I'm sure I still got it.” She cleared her throat. “私の名前は_ ** **_湊崎サナ.” (My name is Minatozaki Sana)_ **

 

“ ** _こんにちは!” Mina greeted. (Hi!)_**

 

“ ** _Anyone got a translator?” Seulgi remarked._**

 

“ ** _黙れ、ばか!” Sana said. The other two Japanese girls started to giggle. (Shut up, idiot!)_**

 

“ ** _Whatever you just said, I know it wasn't nice!” Seulgi said._**

 

**_Jihyo and Wonpil returned._ **

 

“ ** _Oh, I see you're making friends,” Wonpil said._**

 

“ ** _もちろん- Ah, shoot, sorry.” Mina coughed. “Of course, Wonpil.” (Of course-)_**

 

“ ** _So, I'm a bit confused.” One of the Korean girls said. “I don't want to sound rude, but you want to be our friend?”_**

 

**_Mina nodded._ **

 

“ ** _More the merrier.” The girl remarked. “Name's Im Nayeon.”_**

 

“ ** _I'm Yoo Jeongyeon.” The short-haired Korean girl said._**

 

“ ** _Kang Seulgi.” Seulgi greeted._**

 

**_A Korean girl that hasn't talked, spoke up. “I'm Son Chaeyoung. I look forward to meeting with you more, Mina.”_ **

 

**_The girl with the mixed hair ran over to the red-haired girl. “Jihyo, I know I'm being-”_ **

 

“ ** _We'll open them soon,” Jihyo replied. “Just keep calm, okay, Dubu?”_**

 

**_She patted her best friend's head._ **

 

“ ** _彼女の名前はdubuです?” Mina asked (Her name is dubu?). Momo shook her head. “いいえ、それは単なるニックネームです.” (No, it's just a nickname.)_**

 

“ ** _Ah, where are my manners?” Jihyo said. “I'm Park Jihyo, nice to meet you!”_**

 

“ ** _Kim Dahyun!” The mixed hair girl said. “I look forward to my future with you!”_**

 

**_They're all so friendly... Mina thought. At first, she thought they would treat her horribly... but..._ **

 

**_If this is how these girls are going to be, then maybe being their friend won't be so bad after all_**.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 10th, 2018. 4:11 PM.

 

While Nayeon and Tzuyu would have liked to spend some quality time together, they had decided to let Mina stay with them for the time being. Mina was just thinking back to when she first met them. The two girls were in the kitchen, while Mina sat on the couch in the living room.

 

“Nayeon, あなたはケーキが好きですか?” Mina asked. (Nayeon, do you like the cake?)

 

“Ah..” Nayeon thought of a response. “はい、ミーナ、あなたはそれをよく焼いた.” (Yes, Mina you baked it well)

 

“私もそれが良かったと思いました...” Tzuyu pouted. (I thought it was good too...)

 

“Tzuyu, you studied Japanese too?” Nayeon asked. The younger girl nodded. “I know that the girls must miss speaking in Japanese, so I wanted to learn Japanese too so I could have conversations with them in Japanese.”

 

Mina smiled. “ありがとう、Tzuyu.” (Thanks, Tzuyu)

 

The younger girl nodded at Mina, then she looked at Nayeon. “說我的語言兔子.” (Speak my language, bunny)

 

“A-Ah.,” Nayeon said. “Um... 我愛你...?” (I love you..?)

 

Tzuyu laughed a bit, smiling. “你真是個白癡.” (You're such an idiot.)

 

“我是你的白癡親愛的.” Nayeon smiled, pulling the girl in for another kiss. (I'm your idiot, sweetie.)

 

“Do you two girls know any English?” Mina asked. “I know how to say love.”

 

“Oh really?” Nayeon said, pulling away from the kiss. “Say it.”

 

“Ah...” Mina cleared her throat. “ _I love you._ ”

 

“Awww! You said that so cute!” Nayeon said. Tzuyu smiled. “可愛い!” (Cute!)

 

Mina nodded and started to fiddle with the T.V. Remote.

 

“Hey, so is Wonpil busy?” Nayeon asked. The Japanese girl nodded. “Like he said yesterday, it's DAY6 comeback time..”

 

“Ah.” The bunny girl nodded. “Well, feel free to come over any time you want.”

 

“Okay... thank you, Nayeon,” Mina replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

4:23 PM.

 

Wonpil was at JYP studios, still practicing with his keyboard for the title track. Despite wanting to get this comeback done for the DAY6 fans, he couldn't help but think about Mina.

 

Jihyo had informed the keyboardist of Mina's panic attack at the mall, and he couldn't help but blame himself for it. If he hadn't pushed for Mina to come with the girls, then that wouldn't have happened.

 

“Yo, Wonpil.” A voice said. The keyboardist looked up to see Jae. “Ah, Jae..”

 

“Not to sound rude, but all of the other bandmates can see it,” Jae said. “Why are you so down?”

 

“Mina had a panic attack at the mall yesterday,” Wonpil replied.

 

“Oh shoot, is she okay?” Jae asked. The younger boy just nodded. “She's fine, but.. she wouldn't even be at the mall that day if it wasn't for me.”

 

“Don't blame yourself.” The guitarist said. “You couldn't have known. And I know how Mina's situation has been. You're trying to lead her in the right direction towards the bright future. Sure, she hit an obstacle, but she'll get up and continue on her way.”

 

The keyboardist sighed. “...Thank you, Jae.”

 

“And, look, Sungjin wanted me to help you too,” Jae replied. “Comeback's in 16 days. You need to get all your practice done in 16 days. We've had a lot of time, but you?”

 

“I know.” Wonpil sighed. “Sungjin hasn't been happy with me lately.”

 

“He'll be fine.” The older boy said. “Look, I'll help you a bit. Because, man, this comeback has to be great, you know? We need everyone at their A-game, including you! You're our keyboardist!”

 

The keyboardist smiled. “Thank you.”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:20 PM.

 

Dahyun was just minding her business, shopping for chocolate milk at the grocery store. It felt weird to be alone without Jihyo for a really long time. But she supposes she would have to get used to it, considering Jihyo's debut is coming soon.

 

“T-This is unexpected.” A voice said. Dahyun turned around to face the source of the voice. “...Um..?”

 

“A-Ah, you don't know who I am, of course!” The girl bowed. “S-So sorry! I've seen you with my bunny lately!”

 

“...what?” The blonde questioned. The girl offered a hand out for a handshake. “Name's Lee Yeojin!”

 

Oh. _Great_. Dahyun shook her hand. “Nayeon's ex..” The blonde said.

 

“A-Ah, is that what everyone knows me as?” Yeojin replied. “How embarrassing..”

 

“Well, you did break Nayeon's heart.” The younger girl remarked.

 

“It was mutual..” The older girl said weakly.

 

“Are you going to ask me for tips to get her back or whatever?” Dahyun said. “Too late now, she's taken.”

 

“Whoa, we are really getting off on the wrong foot.” Yeojin chuckled. “Hey, I'm just here to make friends.”

 

“It's pretty weird.” The blonde said. “Nayeon gets a new girlfriend, and out of the blue, you show up?”

 

“I know, weird timing right?” The ex commented. “I don't mean any harm, really. I just missed talking to my bunny, ya know?”

 

“Tzuyu calls her bunny.” The younger girl stated. “Really now... how do I know that you're NOT trying to win Nayeon's heart back?”

 

“I have a girlfriend..” Yeojin said. “L-Look, I get that I hurt Nayeon, but I don't mean any harm!”

 

Dahyun looked at her. “Name's Kim Dahyun.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Dahyun!” The ex said. “I look forward to seeing what happens in our future!”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 11th, 2018. 8:05 AM

 

Jihyo had woken up first already, but she waited for Dahyun to wake up. During the time she waited, she got on the group chat.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: anyone awake?**

 

**Jeongyeon: me**

 

**Jeongyeon: I got some bad news**

 

**Nayeon: what happened, Jeongyeon?**

 

**Jeongyeon: yeah, so uh...**

 

**Jeongyeon: turns out my parents have run into some problems**

 

**Jeongyeon: they're getting sued**

 

**Nayeon: oh that's real unfortunate**

 

**Jeongyeon: Thank god I'm not too involved in their business, but it still sucks for them.**

 

**Jihyo: how's work doing, by the way?**

 

**Jeongyeon: “work”**

 

**Jeongyeon: nothing like clocking in at my father's building, doing absolutely nothing, and then clocking out.**

 

**Jeongyeon: I get a shit load of money from doing nothing.**

 

**Nayeon: sigh Jeongyeon's living the life**

 

**Tzuyu: what happened to your photography jobs, Nayeon?**

 

**Nayeon: meh, taking a temporary hiatus**

 

**Nayeon: I've made enough money as is.**

 

**Chaeyoung: ur poor clients tho**

 

**Chaeyoung: they've probably been like TT forever.**

 

**Nayeon: ugh don't remind me of that tragedy**

 

**Seulgi: lol what tragedy**

 

**Jihyo: 7mix's TT**

 

**Tzuyu: Dahyun's hypothetical group of us 9 girls called TWICE could make a better TT than fucking 7mix.**

 

**Seulgi: why am I left out of that group anyways**

 

**Tzuyu: because you're a sailfish**

 

**Seulgi: holy shit if I wasn't in Japan I would go over there to beat your ass, Tzuyu.**

 

**Tzuyu: <3**

 

**Jeongyeon: anyways gotta head to “work”**

 

**Jeongyeon: see u losers soon**

 

**~~Yoo Jeongyeon is now offline~~**

 

**Wonpil: I actually have to start practicing some more.**

 

**Wonpil: we're going to record the songs soon, and I really need to be perfect.**

 

**~~Kim Wonpil is now offline~~**

 

**Chaeyoung: sigh I just saw Tzuyu**

 

**Tzuyu: oh hey**

 

\------------------------------

 

8:13 AM

 

Jihyo was alerted a bit when Dahyun started to stir in bed. The girl let out a little yawn.

 

“Good morning, Dahyun.” Jihyo smiled

 

The blonde nodded. “Yeah.”

 

Jihyo slowly moved herself to be right on top of Dahyun.

 

“H-Hey, what's up with that...?” The blonde blushed. The older dark brown-haired girl smiled. “I've been thinking...”

 

She inched her face closer towards Dahyun's. “I think... it's about time.”

 

Dahyun closed her eyes in anticipation. And then... Jihyo realized that she had no idea what the hell she's doing. She knew their lips had to touch, but after that... oh, she'll just wing it.

 

And then... it happened.

 

Their lips touched. And at that moment, it was almost like magic. Extremely awkward magic, but still, magic.

 

And then the magic lasted for like five seconds before Jihyo broke into awkward laughter.

 

“Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry..” Jihyo said. “I really thought I knew what I was doing.”

 

“Mmm, I liked it,” Dahyun assured. “There was no tongue, and it didn't feel like you were eating my face.”

 

“You think so?” The older girl asked. “I feel like I could have done better.”

 

“We could always try again until we get it right.” The blonde replied.

 

Jihyo smiled and went in for another kiss.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:57 AM.

 

“..nothing.”

 

In Japan, the three had covered all the places they could, and nothing turned up. They decided to wind down and relax at a park.

 

“That's all of Kobe,” Sana said. “Do you want to try Kyoto, Momo? You were born there.”

 

“No, it's fine,” Momo replied.

 

Seulgi yawned. “Gosh, now I wish we really were just enjoying Japan.”

 

Minatozaki sighed. “Maybe today. And then we head back to Korea tomorrow.”

 

The Japanese girl looked at the sun. “I miss everyone back in Korea. I miss talking to Jihyo, checking in on Mina, hearing Nayeon and Tzuyu's interactions.”

 

“Of course you said Jihyo first,” Seulgi smirked.

 

“Eh? What do you mean?” Sana asked.

 

“You have a thing for her after all, right?”

 

“S-Shut up!” Sana looked away, Seulgi just snickered.

 

Momo approached Sana. “I'm sorry things didn't turn out the way you wanted them to.” 

 

Sana sighed. “I considered this possibility. A part of me really wanted to find him, but deep down I prepared myself because we did have a high chance of NOT finding him.”

 

Seulgi got up from her seat on the bench. “That makes me really sad, you know? I was hoping you would find him.”

 

The younger girl sighed. “Me too.” The dance teacher pulled Sana into a hug. “It's okay. At least you tried. It's better off that you tried, instead of not trying at all.”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 12th, 2018. 9:37 AM

 

The three girls were on their way to the airport, Seulgi driving. Sana decided that there was no point in staying any longer. It really did seem like she wasn't going to find her father. But.... she could live with that. Of course, in a perfect world, she would reunite with the man and she could figure out where to go from there.

 

But... this wasn't a perfect world. This is reality. The man was nowhere to be seen. He's probably not even in Japan anymore. Sana hated that. But there was nothing she could do, so there was no point dwelling on it.

 

Sana and the others would head back home and reunite with their friends. Sana could go to Jihyo for comfort, maybe even talk to Dahyun about it. She would go back to her home and lie down on her bed.

 

This sucked. It really did. But that was okay. Besides Jihyo and Dahyun, Sana also had one person in mind. One person who mattered the most to her, one person who warms up her heart.

 

Momo.

 

Momo has been there for Sana since the beginning.

 

\------------------------------

 

**_September 23_ ** **_rd_ ** **_, 2011. 3:48 PM._ **

 

**_After spending a few months by herself, Sana's aunt had taken her in. The girl had to move to Korea, but that was fine. She didn't have to be in that house anymore._ **

 

**_Today, Sana was at the grocery store, getting some ingredients for something her aunt was going to cook. She entered one of the aisles, but then... she saw something familiar._ **

 

“ ** _...” She stared at what she saw. Napa cabbage. She remembers that. Her father would use that in a soup he would make everyone morning._**

 

**_She could smell it. Hear the sound of the cooking. She could hear herself asking for some, but the man would instead just give her some money. He always excused it as “you deserve better than some crappy cooking.”_ **

 

“ ** _Oh, excuse me please.” A girl older than Sana said. Sana stood away._**

 

“ ** _Naba cabbages are pretty good.” The girl said, taking a pack of them._**

 

“ ** _Never tried them,” Sana replied._**

 

“ ** _Ah. You should.” The girl said, she turned around. “I'm Hirai Momo, nice to meet you!”_**

 

“ ** _Minatozaki Sana,” Sana replied._**

 

“ ** _Minatozaki-chan, you should really try one of these!” Momo said. “I could cook some for you!”_**

 

“ ** _Ah... why would you cook for a total stranger?” Sana asked._**

 

“ ** _You looked sad,” Momo replied. “I don't like seeing people be sad, so I would rather make them happy!”_**

 

“ ** _...” Sana was silent. This girl was either incredibly stupid or extremely kind-hearted. Or both. Maybe it's just both._**

 

“ ** _Ah, am I overstepping my boundaries?” Momo asked._**

 

“ ** _No, it's okay,” Sana said. “Your charm worked on me.”_**

 

“ ** _Charm?” The older girl asked._**

 

**_Momo was weird. Sana could tell from that. But... Momo also seemed like a ball of sunshine. High energy. Sana needed that._ **

 

**_This was going to be the start of an amazing friendship._ **

 

\------------------------------

 

June 12th, 2018. 10:24 AM

 

The three girls had arrived at the airport.

 

“Let's go tell the other girls we're coming back,” Seulgi said.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Seulgi: we're coming back to Korea**

 

**Nayeon: yay**

 

**Tzuyu: thank god**

 

**Sana: you really missed us that much?**

 

**Nayeon: this group is better as 11, not 8.**

 

**Chaeyoung: ^**

 

**Dahyun: facts**

 

**Jeongyeon: agreed**

 

**Jihyo: aw! It's so nice seeing all of you bonding!**

 

**Nayeon: lol jihyo why are you trying to sound like a mom**

 

**Sana: oh! Jihyo! I can't wait to congratulate you in person!**

 

**Jihyo: I really wish you three were there when I announce my debut :(**

 

**Sana: Don't worry! I'll be there soon!**

 

**Seulgi: we'll be there soon**

 

**Dahyun: oh, and you got to tell us every detail about your trip, Sana!**

 

**Dahyun: also, Jigglypuff?**

 

**Sana: hey so uh**

 

**Sana: can we not return to Korea**

 

**Seulgi: oml what**

 

**Dahyun: oh you better come home >_<**

 

**Dahyun: got a lot to say**

 

**Momo: Don't worry Sana I'll protect you!**

 

**Sana: thanks, momo**

 

**Jihyo: seriously though, there is something important you have to talk to us about.**

 

**Sana: ik**

 

**Sana: when we get back to Korea**

 

**Jihyo: awesome.**

 

\------------------------------

 

Sana sighed as the three girls entered the plane.

 

Despite the big unfortunate situation with her father, Sana is glad she got to see her mother again. It's been too long... and to say one last goodbye to her mom...

 

Sana appreciated that.


	16. Ring My Bell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> weird antics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally i'm back  
> also this chapter is kinda weird but bear with me since it's vital to the story

 June 13th, 2018. 11:09 AM.

 

The past hour was lots of excitement. In a separate group chat, containing only Dahyun, Jihyo, Momo, Sana, and Seulgi, the five girls discussed the trip to Japan, in which Sana revealed that she just now remembered her father's name: Einosuke Minatozaki. Soon after that, they switched over to the main FRIENDIES! Groupchat, in which Dahyun and Jihyo finally revealed their relationship to the rest of the friends. Of course, they were met with lots of support and love.

 

But Sana was just at home, staring at her phone. Jihyo... is in love with Dahyun. Jihyo is in a relationship with Dahyun.

 

This basically meant that... there's no way now for Sana to be in a relationship with Jihyo.

 

Of all the things, Sana never expected this outcome. But maybe she should have... after all, Dahyun is Jihyo's childhood friend. It makes sense that the JYP trainee would fall in love with her own childhood friend.

 

This was heartbreaking for Sana, but since she truly does love Jihyo, as long as she's happy... then she'll be happy, too.

 

At least, she'll try to be.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:09 PM.

 

Momo was just in her dance studio. She had called Mina over because she had some questions for the girl.

 

“H-Hey..” Mina said, walking in. She liked Momo, but something about her scared her. Maybe it was the fact that Momo is a dance teacher. Mina... hated ballet. She just hoped Momo wouldn't try to teach her it.

 

“Sit down,” Momo said, motioning at a couch. The younger girl followed her direction, sitting down on the couch.

 

“Is... something wrong..?” Mina asked. The dance teacher sat next to her. “No, I just wanted to talk to you, Minari.”

 

“About... what?” The younger Japanese girl asked. Momo took a few moments to find her words, then spoke up. “About your interest in ballet.”

 

Oh no. This is exactly what Mina feared. The panic was already starting to set in. Momo, she likes ballet, right? She CARES about ballet. Like Miss Myoui. So that means that Momo would act exactly like Miss Myo-

 

Wait... Momo? Momo.. isn't like Miss Myoui.

 

“U-Um... what exactly is y-your question?” Mina asked.

 

“Ah... there the was ballet school you mentioned before we left,” Momo said. “I've seen it before, so... were you a student there?

 

Momo doesn't want to hurt you, Mina thought. Momo cares.

 

“Ah.. yes,” Mina replied. “F-For a couple of years, but I stopped going.”

 

“Are you interested in picking ballet up again?” The dance teacher asked. “I've known ballet for-”

 

“N-NO!” Mina yelled, looking away.

 

Shit! Mina thought. She didn't mean to freak out this way, especially towards Momo. But... just the thought of ballet... it made her sick.

 

“Oh..” Momo trailed off, just looking as the younger girl readjusted herself away from the dance teacher.

 

Fuckfuckfuck! Mina thought. Now that she had lashed out on Momo without wanting to, everything started to spiral out of control. Next thing she knew, she was huddled on the couch, crying while trying not to trigger another panic attack.

 

“M-Minari..” The dance teacher said. “I-I'm so sorry..”

 

Momo put a hand on Mina's shoulder, and the younger girl took a few seconds to look at her.

 

“A-Ah..” Mina sniffled, wiping her tears away with the long sleeves of her shirt. “I'm... sorry. I didn't mean for this..”

 

“N-No, it's okay.” The dance teacher replied. “If I had known, then I wouldn't have asked.”

 

“...you're so nice. All of you are so nice to me.”

 

“You deserve it.”

 

“I-I know..”

 

Momo pulled Mina into a hug. “It's okay.”

 

“I... should tell you,” Mina said. “About my past.”

 

“Your past?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Okay..”

 

\------------------------------

 

2:53 PM.

 

At her home, Nayeon had decided to mark herself as active on her website for the day. Almost immediately, her email was overwhelmed new requests, much of which she ignored... save for one.

 

“Nu... de... photography..?” Nayeon fell silent. “What the fuck?”

 

It was a request by a girl by the name of Seo Jangmi. It sounded somewhat familiar, but the bunny girl didn't care enough to place why it did.

 

“I'm so adding a new rule to my website.. some people need to get it together.” The bunny girl remarked.

 

There was a knock on the door, so she got up and opened it. Jeongyeon was waiting behind the door.

 

“Aren't you sight for sore eyes,” Nayeon remarked.

 

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes. “Can I come in?”

 

“Go for it.”

 

The younger girl entered the house. She was carrying a grocery bag, and she just threw it onto the kitchen counter.

 

“What brings you here?” Nayeon asked.

 

“Seo Jangmi, remember her?” Jeongyeon answered with another question.

 

“Uh... can't say I do.”

 

“She was that one girl you met at that wedding.”

 

“I've met a lot of girls at multiple weddings. Be more specific.”

 

“The one with the boyfriend.”

 

And then Nayeon coughed. “Oh gosh.. that was so embarrassing. Wait, how do you know Seo Jangmi?”

 

“Well, I WAS dating her,” Jeongyeon said. “I broke it off with her yesterday. She was fine with it, so we're just on friendly terms, but uh... she texted me that she sent a request to your website for “nude photography”.”

 

“She still remembers me?” Nayeon asked.

 

“Indeed she does. Guess she was trying to invite you for a hook-up with that request.”

 

“Uh, yeah, did you tell her I have a girlfriend? Also, this whole situation is weird timing.”

 

“I was on my way here anyway, but once I saw Jangmi's text, I ran to your door as fast as possible.”

 

“Obviously I'm not going to take it.”

 

“Well, I'll let Jangmi know then.”

 

“Oh, why else did you come here for? You did say you were on your way.” The bunny girl asked.

 

Jeongyeon sighed. “Ah, well... I do have a photography request. I wasn't going to request from your website though, so I just drove over here. Besides, you're my friend.”

 

“Mmm... still kinda want money though,” Nayeon replied.

 

“I wasn't going to ask for it for free.”

 

“You weren't?”

 

“You got a business. I understand what you have to do, you know? How much would you want to be paid?”

 

“Depends on the request.”

 

“Just some simple shots at my father's office.” Jeongyeon said. “It's fucking boring in there. Taking pictures could be entertaining.”

 

“Like, you're going to pose?” The bunny girl asked.

 

“Well, yeah. There's a lot of modeling spots there.”

 

“And the other employe- oh right, you have a floor all to yourself.”

 

“Benefits of being a daddy's girl.”

 

Nayeon faked gagged. “Ugh, gross.”

 

“I know, I really want to slap myself for saying that,” Jeongyeon replied. “I bought some food too, but I'd rather eat that at the office.”

 

“Let me just go get my camera..”

 

\------------------------------

 

3:39 PM.

 

The two girls had arrived at the office, and made their up to the sixth floor, Jeongyeon's floor.

 

“How can it be so boring when you have so many rooms to set up games?” Nayeon asked.

 

“My father has rules about what I can and can't do. Setting up elaborate games was one of the “can't”s.” Jeongyeon replied.

 

“How boring.”

 

“Definitely.”

 

“That's a pretty big windowsill. You could sit there and look out the window, and I'll take pictures of that.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“What?”

 

“You really are a photographer,” Jeongyeon said.

 

“You did say this place has pretty good spots for modeling.” The bunny girl replied. “Just taking advantage.”

 

Jeongyeon sat on the windowsill and proceeded to stare out the window. Nayeon proceeded to take a couple of pictures, using multiple angles, even having Jeongyeon look at the camera a few times.

 

“Okay, and we're done,” Nayeon said. “What did you get us to eat?”

 

“Brown rice, and bulgogi,” Jeongyeon said. “I uh... hope you like it.”

 

“I don't really care what I eat, honestly. Thank you, Jeongyeon.”

 

\------------------------------

 

3:51 PM.

 

After enjoying their lunch, they continued to look for more modeling opportunities.

 

“Ahhh... I don't really see much.” Nayeon said. “I would suggest a “businesswoman” shoot, but you don't look professional.”

 

“As I said, I get paid to do nothing,” Jeongyeon said. “Why dress up professionally when I do nothing? Put on casual clothes, sit here for a couple of hours, then get paid.”

 

“Well, do you feel that was enough pictures?” Nayeon asked. “I'll edit them and print them out once I get home.”

 

“Yeah, that's good. Thanks, Nayeon.”

 

The bunny girl nodded. “Tzuyu's going to get out of school, soon. See you later!”

 

Nayeon left the office, leaving Jeongyeon by herself.

 

“Uuugghhh... why is she so damn cute?” Jeongyeon said out loud. “I just wanna squish her cheeks! And her teeth are freaking adorable!”

 

The girl looked out the window and saw Nayeon enter her car.

 

“Tzuyu's very lucky,” Jeongyeon said. “Hopefully I get a cute girlfriend, too.”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:26 PM.

 

“Waaahhh! That hurt!”

 

“H-Huh?”

 

“It hurtsss!”

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were at home, trying to perfect their kissing. The older girl got a liittllee too into it, and... ended up biting Dahyun's lip.

 

“Oh my god, I'm so sorry!” Jihyo said, getting up.

 

The younger girl just continued to whine in pain, while Jihyo.... well, she didn't really know what to do.

 

“H-How bad?”

 

“...t-the pain's a bit gone..”

 

“T-Thank god..”

 

“Y-You're so mean, unniie!”

 

“My love, I really am sorry!”

 

Dahyun just blushed. “M-My love, huh?”

 

“Eh?” Jihyo was a bit surprised at Dahyun's reaction. “I-I mean, Nayeon and Tzuyu call each other pet names... I-I just thought maybe we should do that, too, you know?”

 

“Ahhh... it's not that I don't like it, I do like it... it's just... wow... it's crazy, that... well... you're actually calling me my love, hah...”

 

“Hmmm... would you like me to call you sweetie, then?”

 

“I-It can interchange... w-whatever you're feeling...”

 

Jihyo just smiled at Dahyun and pulled her in for a kiss.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:47 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were at Mina's front door, and the older girl knocked. After a couple of seconds, Mina opened the door.

 

“H-Hi,” Mina said. “Come in.”

 

She let the two girls in, closed the door, and immediately went back to sitting on the couch. Mina was set up on the couch, with a blanket covering her, she had some ice cream on the coffee table, and she had the penguin plushie right next to her.

 

“Oh, are we interrupting something?” Jihyo asked.

 

“I-I just finished a sad movie, it's okay,” Mina answered. “B-Besides, I was just thinking of you two.”

 

“You were?” The blonde asked.

 

Mina put the penguin plushie next to her.

 

“Hey, where's your dog?” Dahyun asked.

 

“She's outside,” Mina replied. “Chichi, come here!”

 

Suddenly, the dog ran through from the back doggie door, wagging her tail happily at the two girls.

 

“Hi, Chichi,” The blonde said. “Who's the cutest? You are! Yes! Good girl!”

 

Jihyo sat next to Mina, and put the penguin plushie on her lap, having her arms wrapped around it.

 

“I'm glad you're liking the plushie, Mina,” Jihyo said.

 

The Japanese girl nodded. “I-I really love it, Jihyo.”

 

“Have you named it?”

 

“I-I haven't come up with a name, yet.” Mina said.

 

“How about Young?” Dahyun suggested. “It means forever. Like our friendship. It will last forever.”

 

“I like that,” Mina said. “Is the penguin a girl or a boy?”

 

“It looks more like a girl, to be honest,” Jihyo replied.

 

“I agree.” The Japanese girl, taking the penguin away from Jihyo. “Hi, Young!”

 

Mina pulled the penguin closer to her, hugging it. She could still feel Jihyo's warmth from when the girl was holding it, so it comforted her even more.

 

Dahyun sat next to her girlfriend. “What movie were you watching, Mina?”

 

“Train to Busan...”

 

“E-Ehhhh? T-That's so scaarryyy!”

 

“Dubu, why is it scary?” Jihyo asked.

 

“It has zombies and death! I don't like it!” The blonde whined.

 

“I-It's not that scary.” The Japanese girl replied. “More sad than anything.”

 

“T-That's your opinion..” Dahyun whined once again.

 

“Dahyun was crying for the whole movie,” Jihyo informed. “I remember after the train crashed, Dahyun was clinging on to me the entire time!”

 

“Oh, don't act like you weren't crying too, you meanie!”

 

“W-When did I start crying?”

 

“When the couple died!”

 

“O-Oh! I-It was very sad, okay?”

 

Mina let out a giggle, smiling at this exchange.

 

“You two are so cute together.” Mina complimented. “Also, they were close friends, not a couple.”

 

“But didn't she have a crush on him?” Jihyo asked. “W-Whatever, two people with a close connection, there.”

 

“That works too.” The Japanese girl said. “I was going to put on another movie.”

 

“Really, which movie?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Um... I don't recall.”

 

“You... don't remember what movie you were going to play?”

 

“When I heard the door knocked, I forgot what I wanted to watch!”

 

“Ok, well, idea!” Dahyun said. “Movie night!”

 

“W-What?” Mina stuttered.

 

“You don't mind, right?” The blonde asked.

 

“A-Ah... I don't mind.” The Japanese girl replied. “Just... I don't have many snacks.”

 

“I'll be right back,” Jihyo said, getting up from the couch. “Mina, do you want more ice cream?”

 

“Cookies and cream, please,” Mina replied.

 

“Intense chocolate for me,” Dahyun said. “Oh! And some chocolate milk, please!”

 

“And I'll get something for me!” Jihyo said. “See you too in a hot minute!”

 

Jihyo walked out the door.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:29 PM.

 

Jihyo finally returned, holding three grocery bags. One with three buckets of ice cream, and the other with a gallon of chocolate milk. The third had an assortment of candies and chips.

 

“Wow, you came prepared,” Dahyun remarked. “Just as expected of my love!”

 

“I hope you brought a big blanket.,” Mina replied.

 

“Yes, I did.” The older girl said. “It's in the car. Dahyun, could you come get it?”

 

“Be right there!” The blonde replied, exiting the house.

 

“Thank you.” Mina smiled. “Really.”

 

“You deserve the best,” Jihyo said.

 

“Alright, let's get this movie night started!” Dahyun said, walking in carrying the big blanket, still packaged up.

 

And with that, the three girls spent the night watching movies.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 14th, 2018. 5:43 AM

 

Chaeyoung... was up earlier than she wanted to be. Something woke her up in the middle of the night, and she just couldn't go back to sleep. So, she left the house and just made her way to a gas station, just looking to get some strawberry milk.

 

She walked over to the refrigerator, and was met with a familiar voice.

 

“Chaeyoung, I didn't expect to see you here.” A voice called out.

 

Chaeyoung looked at the source of the voice. “Jeongyeon? I didn't expect you to be here.”

 

“Couldn't sleep,” Jeongyeon said.

 

“Me too,” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“You getting strawberry milk?”

 

“Yeah...”

 

“You planning on heading back home?”

 

“Honestly, I don't want to be there.”

 

Jeongyeon nodded. “Would you like to spend some time at my house?”

 

“Ah...” Chaeyoung fell silent, blushing a bit. Wait, why is she blushing? She has a boyfriend. Jeongyeon is asking in a completely platonic friendly way. “Yeah, sure.”

 

“Okay. Don't tell me you drove here?”

 

“No, I walked.”

 

“Walked at 5 AM? How risky.”

 

“Well, I made it here.”

 

“Yeah. Let me just buy my... uh... drink, and then we'll be right on.”

 

\------------------------------

 

5:56 AM.

 

When they arrived at Jeongyeon's house, Chaeyoung was blown away by how... rich it looked. Then again, it made sense, all things considered. Daughter of a famous company CEO, a RICH CEO.

 

“Well, I was planning on going back to my bedroom, but we could hang out on the couch,” Jeongyeon said, setting the bag on the counter.

 

“What did you buy?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“Um... drinks.”

 

“Drinks?”

 

“Alcoholic drinks.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I don't really drink them, only like, once every 3 months, or when I'm in a REALLY bad mood.”

 

“Can I have some?”

 

“Aren't... you a little too young to drink?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“Nobody needs to know...” Chaeyoung replied. 

 

“Uh-uh, not risking it.”

 

“Please?”

 

“Why are you that desperate to drink?”

 

“Because I want to try it!”

 

“Ugh... it's some pretty strong shit.”

 

“I can handle it.”

 

The older girl rolled her eyes. “You haven't even had a drink, how do you know you can handle it?”

 

The younger girl pouted. “Just one sip.”

 

“If you don't cough it up, then you can have the whole can.”

 

“R-Really?”

 

“Yes, I promise that.”

 

Jeongyeon opened one of the beer cans and handed it to Chaeyoung.

 

“I really hope I don't get in trouble for this..” Jeongyeon said.

 

Chaeyoung took a sip of it.

 

“...” Jeongyeon just watched as Chaeyoung slowly reacted to the taste... and then she swallowed it.

 

“H-Huh!?” Jeongyeon yelled, surprised.

 

“I-It isn't... ugh.. that bad,” Chaeyoung said, obviously holding in the urge to gag. “I win!”

 

“No! You do not win!”

 

“Ah-ah! You promised!”

 

“S-Seriously! You shouldn't even be drinking this stuff!” The older girl said. “You'll probably get drunk after once you finish the can!”

 

“S-So!?” The orange-haired girl replied.

 

“You have school!”

 

“Oh shit.”

 

“Y-Yeah!”

 

“I can just shower once I get home!”

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“Y-You know what? It doesn't matter! I have the can in my hands!” Chaeyoung said, taking another sip of it.

 

“Oh my god, your parents are actually going to kill me.”

 

\------------------------------

 

6:14 AM.

 

Jeongyeon stared nervously as the now-drunk Chaeyoung messed with the couch pillow.

 

“Y-You're so right, I really shouldn't have drank that!” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Your parents will kill me, and then kill the gas station clerk, and then kill the manufacturers of the beer company-”

 

“Ughh... I literally have school in.. um... an hour?”

 

“Oh fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.” Jeongyeon swore. “Take a shower, right now! I'll make some coffee.”

 

“You really expect me to shower myself..?”

 

“You have to.”

 

“Aaahhh... I don't want to! You shower me!”

 

“W-What the fuck!?”

 

“I'm druuunkk!”

 

“Really heavy drunk.. ugh.”

 

“Sooo..?”

 

“My shower's... big. Um...”

 

“What does that..” a hiccup. “mean?”

 

“...I have to join you. I-I can't just help you in my clothes, that'd be... really inconvenient.”

 

“We're both giirls, that's fine,” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Well, fine. Where's your school uniform?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“In my bag...”

 

“Okay, well... shit, guess I'll get myself new pair of clothes, then we're good to go.”

 

“Yaayyy! First time showering with anoother girl!”

 

“You better not tell Kyungmin about this, I swear to god.”

 

“I doonn't think he'll mind... it's juustt a shower..”

 

Jeongyeon walked over to her bedroom. 

"This is so weird..." Jeongyeon remarked.

 

Once she picked out her post-shower outfit, she set it up in her bathroom, and then went back to the living room.

 

“This is so weird,” Jeongyeon commented, taking Chaeyoung's uniform out of her pocket.

 

“Not that weiirdd.. I've showered with... um...” Chaeyoung blanked out. “No idea..”

 

Jeongyeon also put Chaeyoung's uniform in the bathroom.

 

“A bit weird you brought a spare pair of your.. um, delicates,” Jeongyeon commented.

 

“It's forr emergencies..” Chaeyoung yawned. “This is... definitely! An emergency!”

 

Jeongyeon helped Chaeyoung up and slowly led her to the bathroom.

“Do I start taking my clooothess off now?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“Uh... yeah,” Jeongyeon replied.

 

Chaeyoung took no hesitance in taking her shirt off.

 

“Y-You're not wearing a bra!?”

 

“I did just wake up before seeing youuu! Jeez!”

 

“Y-Yeah.. okay..”

 

Much to say, the shower was... awkward for Jeongyeon but interesting for Chaeyoung.

 

\------------------------------

 

6:51 AM.

 

Chaeyoung was now dressed in her school uniform, while Jeongyeon wore casual clothing, this time with a purple aesthetic.

 

“Ughh... I can already kinda feel a hangover.” Chaeyoung said, sipping the coffee Jeongyeon brewed.

 

“I can't believe I showered with you,” Jeongyeon remarked. “God, that's so weird. Am I a predator? Jesus christ I might be a predator.”

 

“Chill, I'm an adult.” The orange-haired girl said. “You're fine.”

 

“I know... but it's still really weird.” The brown-haired girl said. “I-I... jeez.”

 

“You have a nice body, though.”

 

“W-What the fuck?”

 

“I-I don't mean that in a weird way! Jeez!”

 

“You're seriously cheating on Kyungmin right now.”

 

“N-No I'm not! Why can't I compliment you!?”

 

“You really don't understand relationships, do you?”

 

“Ugh!” Chaeyoung groaned. “As long as I don't have romantic feelings towards you, then it's not cheating! I didn't kiss you, nor did I have sexual intercourse with you!”

 

“But we were both n..n-nude together!” Jeongyeon yelled.

 

“In the shower!”

 

“Still! Our bodies touched!”

 

“Stop making it weird! Ughh! I'm DEFINITELY not telling Kyungmin about this!”

 

“Good!”

 

\------------------------------

 

7:30 AM.

 

Jeongyeon stopped her car in front of the school.

 

“I refrigerated your strawberry milk,” Jeongyeon said, handing Chaeyoung a bag.

 

“Oh.. thanks.” Chaeyoung replied. “Um... thanks for this morning, really.”

 

“You're welcome..” The older girl said, looking at the girl. “Well, good luck at school, I guess.”

 

“Yeah, thanks, mom.” The younger girl teased, exiting the car.

 

“D-Don't call me that!”

 

The orange-haired girl laughed. “See you later, Jeongyeon!”

 

Chaeyoung walked towards the school, and Jeongyeon just watched awkwardly.

 

“What the hell just happened this morning?” Jeongyeon remarked, then she drove away.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:41 AM.

 

“I saw you come in with another girl,” Kyungmin said, literally just standing there once Chaeyoung closed her locker.

 

“She's a friend,” Chaeyoung replied. “Please don't freak out, but-”

 

“You realize I don't really care, right?” Kyungmin replied. “I'm not going to be like “oh you can't hang out with another girl!!!” or some crap like that. I can respect your privacy and your friendships.”

 

“Y-Yeah.” The orange-haired girl replied. “Thanks.”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:21 PM.

 

“I showered with Jeongyeon today,” Chaeyoung said to Tzuyu. They were both sitting outside in the courtyard, at one of the tables. They were enjoying their lunch.

 

“I'm sorry, WHAT!?” Tzuyu yelled. She got a few looks, and then lowered her voice. “You have a boyfriend!”

 

“I-It was just a shower!” The orange-haired girl said. “I got drunk and-”

 

“YOU GOT DRUNK!?” Tzuyu raised her voice again. A few more looks, and then Tzuyu awkwardly shrank into her seat.

 

“Weird morning,” Chaeyoung replied. “A-Anyways, Jeongyeon helped me sober up, so... yeah.”

 

“No wonder I smell caffeine.” The younger girl said. “Man, and I haven't even showered with my bunny yet.”

 

“Nayeon's a non-virgin, what if she gets all pervy?”

 

“Bunny is NOT like that!”

 

“I-I'm just messing with you!”

 

“Good.”

 

Chaeyoung sighed. When she was drunk she didn't seem to realize it, but now... Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung have been seen each other in a… indecent state, to put it as safe for work as possible. It shouldn't be bothering her, but for some reason it is. She just feels like a cheater even though nothing about it was cheating. She got drunk like an idiot, and Jeongyeon helped her out.

 

Guess she needs to tell Kyungmin about this to fully feel okay with this.

 

\------------------------------

 

4:45 PM.

 

“Ah... that's not that weird.” Kyungmin commented. “I mean, you were drunk, and she helped you sober up. It makes sense.”

 

“I-I just feel weird because well, you know, we saw each other… in a not so decent state!” Chaeyoung said.

 

“You two are girls, that's fine.”

 

“But I'm bisexual.”

 

“Even then, you're dating me, and she's just a friend. I know you're acting like this because of me, but I'm telling you, it's fine. I'm thankful that Jeongyeon helped you out the way she did because otherwise you'd probably be suspended, or even worse, expelled from school. Also, don't get drunk, dummy.”

 

“Y-Yeah, lesson learned..” Chaeyoung replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jeongyeon: and so like**

 

**Jeongyeon: shit**

 

**Jeongyeon: I forgot the next line**

 

**Nayeon: wow riveting story**

 

**Jeongyeon: stfu you bunny ass**

 

**Tzuyu: hey only I can call her bunny!**

 

**Seulgi: lol bottom**

 

**~~Im Nayeon is now offline~~**

 

**Seulgi: lol what**

 

**Tzuyu: hey, isn't that you near the river in the park?**

 

**Seulgi: wait you're at the park?**

 

**Tzuyu: yes :)**

 

**Seulgi: ok so?**

 

**Seulgi: wait**

 

**Seulgi: oh no**

 

**Seulgi: NOPE**

 

**Seulgi: NSAIDHSIASJDASHIUDASSDI**

 

**~~Kang Seulgi is now offline~~**

 

**~~Im Nayeon is now online~~**

 

**Nayeon: sailfish has now become one with her home**

 

**Jeongyeon: did you just**

 

**Jeongyeon: you threw her into the lake again, didn't you**

 

**Nayeon: ^_^**

 

**Wonpil: my gosh**

 

**Chaeyoung: hey, Jeongyeon, can we meet up?**

 

**Jeongyeon: uh yeah**

 

**Jeongyeon: where?**

 

**Chaeyoung: your home**

 

**Jeongyeon: oh ok**

 

**Jeongyeon: i'm there right now, so you can just head there**

 

**Chaeyoung: thanks**

 

**~~Kang Seulgi is now online~~**

 

**Seulgi: nayeon i'm going to fucking sue you**

 

**Nayeon: lol i'd like to see you try**

 

**Seulgi: fuck you**

 

**Nayeon: sorry hun, that's a no from me.**

 

**Seulgi: >_<**

 

**Sana: hey seulgi can you come over to Momo's studio?**

 

**Seulgi: I just gotta change and then I'll be there.**

 

**Sana: ok**

 

**Jihyo: also happy birthday Tzuyu!**

 

**Tzuyu: you said that this morning**

 

**Jihyo: ik but it's such a special occasion :)**

 

**Tzuyu: ok thank you uwu**

 

**Jihyo: uwu**

 

\------------------------------

 

5:11 PM.

 

Chaeyoung knocked on the front door and watched as Jeongyeon opened it.

 

“Come in,” Jeongyeon said.

 

Chaeyoung entered the house, sitting on the couch. The older girl locked her doors.

 

“Did you drink your strawberry milk?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“Yes, during lunch. Thanks, by the way.” Chaeyoung replied.

 

There was awkward silence between the two, and for the same exact reason.

 

“About this morning-”

 

“We showered together-”

 

They both spoke at the same time and then fell into an awkward silence.

 

“Wow...” Jeongyeon said. “Umm...”

 

“L-Look... I don't want things to be awkward between us.” The orange-haired girl said. “But... I don't know... I just can't stop thinking about that.”

 

“It's funny, actually.” The older girl remarked. “Apparently, that's normal for friends.”

 

“Is it now?”

 

“Yeah..”

 

“W-Well, okay... I guess I'm just... you know..”

 

“Y-Yeah..”

 

“Let's not beat around the bush, I guess... Do you see me differently now that you've seen my… you know, everything?”

 

“Um..” Jeongyeon scratched back of her head. “How am I not supposed to?”

 

“How differently do you see me?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“Well... I guess I see you in a... closer light. I-I don't know? I didn't want it to be that big of a deal.”

 

“It shouldn't be, honestly. We just showered together. That's totally normal, everyone showers.”

 

“Y-Yeah, exactly! Sure, it was a bit weird, but we got it over with!”

 

“As a matter of fact, I think us showering together shows how close we are as friends.”

 

“Agreed.”

 

There was still some silence, but it wasn't an awkward silence.

 

“Is there anything else you would like to do with me?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“Do you have games here?” The orange-haired girl asked.

 

“Games? Um... actually, I have a whole arcade room.”

 

“A-A WHOLE ARCADE ROOM? IN YOUR HOUSE!?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

Jeongyeon led Chaeyoung to the arcade room. It was big and had a lot of machines.

 

“No way! You have the original mortal kombat!”

 

“It was a pain in the ass to get it here, especially considering its nature.”

 

“And... is that... the Jurassic park truck?”

 

“Yup. Enter it, you'll see the-”

 

“The controllers with the big screen inside the truck! I loved playing this with Dahyun!”

 

Chaeyoung ran inside the truck, sitting on the right. Jeongyeon joined in, sitting on the left.

 

“How does it work? Do we still need coins or..?”

 

“Coins?”

 

Jeongyeon pressed the start button, and the game immediately went to the starting screen.

 

“W-Whoa! All of these games for free!?” Chaeyoung said.

 

“I got it privately for me.” The older girl said. “It took a while to convince them to install it with no need for coins, but thank god I did.”

 

“So.. do I press start, too?”

 

“Yes, unless you'd just like to watch me play by myself.”

 

“Boop!”

 

“Alright, let's get this action, then.”

 

For the next half-hour, they played the game.

 

\------------------------------

 

5:45 PM.

 

Eventually, they had left the arcade and were now upstairs.

 

“You have a movie theater here, too?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“You call it a house, but it's really more like a mansion,” Jeongyeon replied.

 

“A really small mansion, though. So, it's a rich house! You have the downstairs in which you sleep in and do your daily life, and then upstairs with all of your rich stuff!”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“So, what movies do you watch?”

 

“The projector in the back is hooked up to a computer that displays Netflix, so usually whatever Netflix has.”

 

“So... could you possibly play a video game on the big theater screen?”

 

“Yes, the computer is very good.”

 

“You really are living the life, my gosh.”

 

“Meh.”

 

“Meh?”

 

“I mean, I like the arcade, and I like the theater... but I just like the normality of my bedroom, and my kitchen, and living room, and dining room. Even my bathrooms are normal.”

 

“So, if I'm understanding.. you like to keep it humble?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“I get that.”

 

Chaeyoung looked at the big screen.

 

“Unnnniiieee! Can we watch a movie?”

 

“Sure, I guess. What movie?”

 

“I'm in the mood for something romantic!”

 

“Not an Adam Sandler movie.”

 

“Those are comedies! And crappy!”

 

“Good, glad we're on the same page.”

 

After setting up the movie, the two girls sat next to each other in the theater and enjoyed the romantic movie.

 

\------------------------------

 

7:27 PM.

 

After the movie was done, Chaeyoung was tired.

 

“I'm so tired,” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Did you drive here?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“Yeah...”

 

“You can't drive if you're tired.”

 

“I know..”

 

“Call your parents, tell them you'll be staying the night here.”

 

“Thank you, unnie.”

 

Chaeyoung dialed her parents and walked downstairs. Jeongyeon closed the theater door.

 

“Hey, mom, I'm going to stay with Jeongyeon tonight,” Chaeyoung informed.

 

“ **That's fine, she took good care of you this morning.** ” Her mother said.

 

“Oh?”

 

“ **Tzuyu-ah told us that you were with Jeongyeon this morning.** ”

 

“Did she mention... anything else?”

 

“ **No, just that you were with Jeongyeon... why?”**

 

“Ah, it's nothing. Love you! See you tomorrow!”

 

Jeongyeon walked downstairs.

 

“Are we going to sleep in the same bed?” The younger girl asked.

 

“Well, I don't have another bedroom here.” The older girl replied. “Unless you'd like to sleep on the couch?”

 

“No thanks.”

 

“That's what I thought. My bed is big enough.”

 

Jeongyeon brought Chaeyoung over to the bedroom.

 

“It's barely 7 though, how tired are you?” Jeongyeon asked.

 

“School was a lot today,” Chaeyoung replied.

 

“I see.”

 

“Will you sleep with me right now, or are you going to stay up?”

 

“Usually I'd stay up, but I'd rather not leave you alone.”

 

“Aw, thank you.”

 

After a couple of minutes preparing themselves for bed, Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung both lied there on the older girl's bed, covered with the blanket.

 

“You know, today was definitely interesting.” The older girl said.

 

“I know. I wasn't expecting to grow such a close bond with you.” The younger girl replied. “But I like it. Jeongyeon, you're pretty cool.”

 

“Thank you. You're pretty cool, too.”

 

And with that, they fell asleep.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Tzuyu: ok so like Ik I said I didn't want a get together for my birthday b/c I wanted to spend my birthday with just bunny**

 

**Tzuyu: but I at least wanted one group call for an hour or so**

 

**Nayeon: maybe we can have a get together at a later day?**

 

**Tzuyu: yeah maybe so**

 

**Tzuyu: thanks for making my birthday amazing, Nayeon**

 

**Tzuyu: I love you**

 

**Nayeon: I love you too <3**

 

**Jihyo: get together at a later day sounds like a good idea!**

 

**Dahyun: especially in celebration of Tzuyu's birthday.**

 

**Tzuyu: hopefully you can alert Jeong and Chaeng about this**

 

**Jihyo: they always read the group chat ^_^**

 

\------------------------------

 

June 15th, 2018. 6:22 AM

 

Chaeyoung woke to the smell of cooking. It took a few moments to realize that she was NOT at home. Then, she remembered the events of yesterday. She got off from the bed, and exited the bedroom, going into the main area of the house.

 

“There you are! I was wondering when you were going to wake up!” Jeongyeon said, putting two bowls of rice on the dining table.

 

“G-Good morning, unnie.” Chaeyoung greeted.

 

Jeongyeon put two plates of galbi, and then two bowls of stew on the dining table too.

 

“I've prepared breakfast for us.”

 

“W-Wow.. that looks really good!”

 

“Come, sit down.”

 

Jeongyeon sat down, and then Chaeyoung sat next to her.

 

“Thank you, Jeongyeon.”

 

“You're welcome.”


	17. FFW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DaHyo girlfriends, and there's also a sailfish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyo don't forget this is an au, so some characters might have different personalities from their real-life counterparts.

June 16th, 2018. 7:52 AM

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: 2 more days until I go into practice :)**

 

**Nayeon: I'm really going to miss talking to you for the next couple of weeks.**

 

**Jihyo: I'll still be available lol**

 

**Dahyun: unnie ;-;**

 

**Jihyo: don't worry dubu, just remember that I'm always there with you in your heart!**

 

**Jeongyeon: wow you sound like you're about to die.**

 

**Jihyo: don't say that :,(**

 

**Chaeyoung: lol**

 

**Jeongyeon: oh chae how's your day been going?**

 

**Chaeyoung: it's been going great!**

 

**Jeongyeon: glad to hear that!**

 

**Nayeon: ok so**

 

**Nayeon: new ship?**

 

**Jeongyeon: .-.**

 

**Nayeon: lol jk I think your friendship is cute!**

 

**Sana: oh, so uh.**

 

**Sana: jihyo?**

 

**Jihyo: yes?**

 

**Sana: can you meet with me?**

 

**Jihyo: sure**

 

**Wonpil: how is the day6 comeback already in 10 days**

 

**Wonpil: I can't even-**

 

**Jihyo: lol**

 

**Wonpil: like we've recorded all the songs already**

 

**Wonpil: and yet Sungjin still wants me in the studio.**

 

**Wonpil: how is the outside world like?**

 

**Wonpil: do we still have internet?**

 

**Wonpil: are dogs still a thing?**

 

**Mina: yes uwu**

 

**Mina: {chichihappyboof.jpg}**

 

**Wonpil: OMG SO CUTE**

 

**Tzuyu: did mina just use uwu?**

 

**Mina: yes?**

 

**Tzuyu: omg you're so cute**

 

**Jihyo: minguin, how are things going, by the way?**

 

**Mina: fine**

 

**Sana: i'm at the park, jihyo**

 

**Jihyo: be right there!**

 

\------------------------------

 

7:58 AM

 

“Jihyo.” Dahyun said. “Can I come with?”

 

“I think Sana just wants me to come,” Jihyo replied. “I'll be back, sweetie.”

 

Jihyo kissed Dahyun's lips, then pulled away.

 

“Take care,” Dahyun replied, the JYP trainee just nodding. “I will.”

 

Jihyo left the house.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:23 AM

 

Jihyo met up with Sana, who was sitting on one of the benches in the park.

 

“Sit,” Sana said, Jihyo sat next to her.

 

“Sana, what's going on?” The younger girl asked. 

 

“I'm angry.” The older girl said. “My father.. god, he pisses me off.”

 

“Oh..”

 

“Just.. how fucking dare he!?”

 

“Sana..”

 

“All this time I was all like “oh i'll forgive him!” and “he's probably changed, so we'll be fine!”. But you know what? Fuck him! FUCK HIM!”

 

Sana was shaking, but she continued.

 

“F-Fucking bastard left his kid to fend for herself, t-then he doesn't even have the decency to... stay in Japan..” Sana said. “W-What a piece of shit.”

 

“I-I agree.” Jihyo replied. “When you wanted to search for him, I thought the only way he'd be redeemed was if he had stayed somewhere in Japan... but when you told me you never found him, I knew right then and there that he sucked.”

 

The Japanese girl took a deep breath. “Thanks for listening, Jihyo.”

 

“Hey, you know I'm always here for you.” The soon to debut idol said. “I'm here for all of you.”

 

“I know.”

 

\------------------------------

 

8:48 AM.

 

Jihyo returned home, and saw Dahyun in the kitchen... and a big fire was forming in one of their woks.

 

“A-Ah, what is going on?!” Jihyo said.

 

“W-Waaahh! I was trying to cook!” Dahyun replied.

 

The older girl grabbed the fire hydrant from one of the lower shelves and quickly dispersed of the fire. The blonde continued to whine while Jihyo looked at the wok.

 

“This wok is done for,” Jihyo commented. “W-What were you trying to cook, Dahyun?”

 

“Bulgogi..” The blonde pouted. “I was going to surprise you with breakfast!”

 

“But... I never taught you how to cook.” 

 

“I-I watch you! I thought it would be easy!”

 

“Next time you want to cook something, please ask me so I can teach you.”

 

“Okay..”

 

The older girl disposed of the ruined wok and turned the stove off.

 

“I'm so sorry!” The blonde said.

 

“It's okay. I can always buy another one.”

 

Dahyun didn't want to, but she couldn't help it. A tear fell down her cheek as she started to cry.

 

“I-I really... w-wanted to s-surprise you, Jihyo.” Dahyun sniffled.

 

“Aw, Dahyun..” Jihyo said, hugging the younger girl. The blonde hugged her back. “Y-You do so... m-much for me, I-I just wanted to... pay you back at least once.”

 

“As I said, I'll teach you how to cook, and then you can surprise me with food whenever you want!”

 

“Y-You're...” sniff. “Going into practice soon..”

 

“Then let's make the best of our time and I'll teach you to cook right now.” 

 

“O-Okay..”

 

“Let's start with bulgogi!”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:25 AM.

 

”Just for today? Please?”

 

“We'll have to record the music video soon-”

 

“But all the songs are recorded! I just want to go out just for today. I'll be back before you know it!”

 

“You've been slacking lately-”

 

“We got all the songs done.”

 

“Yes, I am well aware, but-”

 

“Please, hyung!”

 

“Okay, promise me this one thing.”

 

“Anything.”

 

“Send me a selfie of you and Mina.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I care about Mina just as much as you do, Wonpil. Besides, if you send me that picture, then I'd know that you're spending your free time wisely.”

 

“Okay, fair enough.”

 

“Well, you're free to go.”

 

“Thank you, Sungjin-hyung.”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:49 AM.

 

“Tzuyu, it's so goo- and you brought Nayeon.”

 

Chaeyoung had asked for Tzuyu to meet up with her at the arcade Momo used to frequent. She expected the younger girl to go alone, but that was not the case.

 

“Got a problem?” The bunny girl asked, a bit more aggressive than she intended.

 

“Um, not really..” The orange-haired girl replied. “I-I was just expecting Tzuyu, but it's cool. A-Anyways, I invited Dahyun, but she was too busy.”

 

“Aw, I miss it when it was the school meal club.” The Taiwanese girl said.

 

“Me too,” Chaeyoung replied. “Hey, unnie! You can be an honorary member of the school meal club!”

 

“So... I'm Dubu's replacement?” The bunny girl remarked.

 

“Ah... I said honorary, not new.”

 

“But I'm basically here to fill Dahyun's void.”

 

“J-Jeez, just take it!”

 

“Okay, thanks Chaeng!”

 

Nayeon took Tzuyu's hand. “So, what's the plan? We're gonna play in the arcade?”

 

“This arcade was the meet-up spot, but we were going to go somewhere.” The orange-haired girl replied.

 

“Good, arcades are fucking lame.”

 

A mother with her child was walking by Nayeon, and the mother just glared at the bunny girl for swearing.

 

“Mommy, what is fucking?”

 

“Oh my go-”

 

The mother just brought her kid further into the arcade, still giving Nayeon the death glare.

 

“Bye, lady.” The bunny girl remarked.

 

“Also, Momo would be really offended if she heard you say that,” Chaeyoung said.

 

“Oh! I wasn't expecting to see you here!” Jeongyeon said, having run over to the trio.

 

“Unnie! It's so good to see you!” The orange-haired girl said, hugging the older girl.

 

“A-Ah! It's good to see you too, Chaeng!” Jeongyeon replied, hugging her back.

 

Nayeon raised an eyebrow, and Tzuyu just hit her shoulder. “Stop.”

 

“Jeongyeon-ah, what were you doing?” Nayeon asked.

 

“Just walking around.” The brown-haired girl said. “You?”

 

“Spending time with my girlfriend.” 

 

“Don't you want to call her hoonnneeeyy?”

 

“S-Shut up! Only bunny can call me honey!” Tzuyu said.

 

“You call her bunny a lot...” Jeongyeon asked. “Do you even remember her name?”

 

“O-Of course I do! Her name is Nayeon!” The Taiwanese girl pouted. “I just like calling her bunny!”

 

“You took a few seconds to answer that.”

 

“S-Shut up!”

 

“All jokes aside, sorry we didn't get to have that group call you wanted.”

 

“This is the tenth time you've apologized, and the tenth time I've said that's it's okay. Really, we can have a friend get together soon to make for it.”

 

Chaeyoung just now pulled away. She was savoring the feel of Jeongyeon's warmth. That was fine, right? Jeongyeon is just a friend. The same thing with Jihyo, Jihyo has such a comforting warmth that you'd just want to hold her forever.

 

“S-So... where should we go?” Chaeyoung asked

 

“Have you even had breakfast yet?” Jeongyeon asked back.

 

“No..” The orange-haired girl said.

 

“Then let's go get breakfast,” Nayeon said. “I'll be paying.”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:06 AM.

 

The four girls eventually found a restaurant to sit down and eat at. They were at a table for four, Nayeon and Tzuyu sitting next to each other, leaving Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung to sit next to each other too.

 

“I kinda wish we had Jihyo and Dahyun here, too,” Jeongyeon replied.

 

“You just want the trendy trio back,” Nayeon smirked.

 

“D-Dahyun was the one who came up with that name, I never once agreed with it!”

 

“I actually do have a question for you, though, Jeongyeon-unnie,” Tzuyu replied. “This is long overdue... but with recent events coming up.... how was Dahyun like, when she was... you know?”

 

“When Dahyun was depressed?” Jeongyeon asked. “It... was bad. Like, really bad.”

 

“Like, Mina bad?” The maknae asked.

 

“T-They're not comparable. Mina's depression is completely different than Dahyun's depression. We should never compare them.”

 

“I-I shouldn't have said that. I-I understand what Mina is going through, and I don't want... to make it seem like it's nothing, o-or that it's a competition..”

 

“It's fine, let this be your learning moment.”

 

Jeongyeon sighed. “If you want more details about Dahyun's depression, just ask her yourself. It's not my thing to tell, it's hers.”

 

“I see..” Tzuyu trailed off.

 

“It felt endless, that's one thing I'll say,” Chaeyoung added in. “I remember before she got depressed, Dahyun would be smiling non-stop, but when she got depressed... she never smiled. Never once. During that time, I thought that... she was never going to smile again. Every night I would cry myself to sleep. I missed her smile.”

 

“To see her smile again these days... does it feel like a blessing?” Tzuyu asked.

 

“Yes. I savor it every day, to be honest.” The orange-haired girl replied. “I don't know what I would do if she stopped smiling again.”

 

“Don't worry about that,” Jeongyeon replied. “Dahyun will keep smiling, forever.”

 

The waiter arrived.

 

“Our foods here,” Nayeon said. “Let's continue this talk later.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:31 AM.

 

After enjoying their breakfast, the four girls were at the mall again.

 

“You didn't go with us that one time, Jeongyeon,” Nayeon said.

 

“Yes, why state the obvious?” Jeongyeon remarked.

 

“Well, first of all, you missed out on Chaeyoung's epic fall,” Tzuyu replied.

 

“You've also mentioned that before.” The older girl replied. “Why suddenly bring it up?”

 

“Why are we here, anyway?” Chaeyoung asked, keeping her eyes set on what's ahead of her, so she won't make the same mistake as last time.

 

“Because.. uh..” The bunny girl fell silent. 

 

“Can we get legos?” Jeongyeon asked all of a sudden.

 

“Legos? What are you, a ki-” Nayeon's words immediately faded away. “Riiighht... totally forgot about that.”

 

“It's been a while since I've gotten some legos, honestly,” Jeongyeon replied. “I've gotten busy lately.”

 

“Well, you can go get some, we'll just stay here.” The bunny girl said. “Run along, little one. We'll be fine.”

 

“Ah, I'm coming with,” Chaeyoung said. “I'll make sure everything is going fine with Jeongyeon-unnie.”

 

“Sure, why not.” The oldest said. “Jeongyeon, are you fine with this?”

 

“Yeah, it's fine.”

 

“Okay, well, Tzuyu and I will just... be doing whatever, I guess.”

 

“Oh, don't get too naughty, you two!”

 

“A-Ah! Shut up!”

 

Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung walked off, leaving the bunny girl and her girlfriend to themselves.

 

“I want a pretty ring.” The maknae suddenly stated.

 

“Ooookkkaaayy... that's random.” The bunny girl replied. “You planning on proposing?”

 

“N-No! I just want a ring!” Tzuyu pouted. 

 

Nayeon couldn't help but smile. “Okay, then let's get a ring.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:38 AM.

 

They just stood there. The two girls were in front of the same jewelry store that Mina had a panic attack in just a few days ago.

 

“Ah... nevermind. I don't want a ring.” Tzuyu said.

 

“Honestly, it pisses me off that nobody else was there for Mina,” Nayeon stated. “Who knows how long Mina was like that before we found her.”

 

“I know... it makes me really sad.” 

 

“Let's just go find Jeongyeon and Chae, she's probably already gotten what she wants anyways.”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:41 AM.

 

Seulgi just walked around the SM studio, not looking for anything in particular. She's been training lately, but as of right now, she was taking a break. Of course, since she was just walking around like a weirdo, somebody was bound to notice.

 

“Oi! What are you doing?” A female voice said, walking towards Seulgi as she stopped dead in her tracks.

 

“Ah... walking around?” Seulgi remarked.

 

“Shouldn't you be training?” The girl replied.

 

“Break.” The SM trainee replied, turning around. “Kang Seulgi, and you- oh.”

 

“Son Seungwan.” The girl said. “Or, if you're stupid, Wendy from Red Velvet.”

 

“Ah.... what are you doing getting after some trainee?” Seulgi remarked.

 

“Juhyun sent me off to go and find Yerim,” Seungwan said. “Irene and Yeri, if you're st-”

 

“No, I know your stage names,” Seulgi replied. “Well, go off and find your maknae, not sure why you're bothering me.”

 

Seungwan just rolled her eyes. “Bye, Kang.”

 

The red velvet member departed, leaving Seulgi by herself. 

 

“What a bitch.” Seulgi silently remarked. She turned around to watch as Seungwan left, but then she was met with a hand on her shoulder.

 

“You shouldn't be so mean towards Seungwan-unnie.” Another girl said.

 

“A-Ah!?” Seulgi said, jumping away from the girl. “What the hell is wrong with you!?”

 

“S-So sorry!” The girl bowed down. “I did not intend to scare you!”

 

“Hold on, you're... Sooyoung.” Seulgi said. “Joy.”

 

“Yes!” Sooyoung replied. “My apologies. You are?”

 

“Kang Seulgi,” Seulgi answered.

 

“Ahhh! That's such a pretty name!” The younger girl said. “Seulgi! Seulgi! Seulgi!”

 

Seulgi just crossed her arms as the girl continued to say her name.

 

“I was just-”

 

“No! Jeez! We're still busy doing-”

 

“Unnie!-”

 

“Yerim! Come on!”

 

Seulgi turned around to see Seungwan basically dragging Yerim by the ear.

 

“Casual abuse?” Seulgi remarked.

 

“You're still here?” Seungwan rolled her eyes. “Sooyoung, why are you talking to her?”

 

“She has a really cute name!” Sooyoung replied.

 

“Ugh... come on, Juhyun is going to start to worry if we don't show up soon,” Seungwan replied.

 

“Bye, Sooyoung!” Yerim just randomly blurted out as she followed Seungwan away.

 

“You could come,” Sooyoung replied.

 

“W-Why would I do that?” Seulgi asked. “I-I'm just a trainee, and you're part of the biggest girl group!”

 

“I'm sure Juhyun would like you!” Sooyoung replied, taking Seulgi's hand. “Plleassee?”

 

“Fine..” 

 

“Yay!”

 

\------------------------------

 

“S-Seungwan, I didn't intend for you to act so... cruel towards poor Yerim,” Juhyun said.

 

“Sorry..” Seungwan apologized. “It's just... some bitch really pissed me off. A-And I know I shouldn't take my anger out on your girls, but Yerim was rebelling, and-”

 

“It's okay! All is forgiven!” Yerim said.

 

“Ahh... thanks.” The older girl just sighed in relief.

 

“I got us a neewwww friieeenndd!” Sooyoung said, barging into the room, Seulgi right in tow.

 

Seungwan's jaw just about dropped to the ground.

 

“Y-You brought HER!?” Seungwan pointed. “WHY!?”

 

“Her name is pretty!” Sooyoung said.

 

Juhyun just casually approached the two girls. “Name's Bae Juhyun, but you might know me as Irene. Nice to meet you.”

 

“Kang Seulgi,” Seulgi replied. “But my friends call me Sailfish.”

 

Juhyun laughed. “That's pretty funny. How did that happen?”

 

“Autocorrect.” The trainee replied. 

 

“Ah, gets the best of us.” The leader said. “Seungwan, is this the girl that angered you?”

 

“Y-Yes...” Seungwan was fuming. “Ugh..”

 

“Care to explain what she did to anger you?”

 

“S-She's disrespectful!”

 

“You came at me first.” Seulgi defended herself. “Treat others the way you would want to be treated.”

 

“Ughh! You're right!” Seungwan groaned. “L-Look! I'm sorry, okay? It's just been an off-day!”

 

“It's fine.” The trainee said. “Let's properly re-introduce ourselves, so we can get off on the right foot now.”

 

“I'm Son Seungwan,” Seungwan said. “My Red Velvet stage name and English name is Son Wendy.”

 

“Nice to meet you, I'm Kang Seulgi.” Seulgi smiled for once.

 

“I'm Kim Yerim!” Yerim greeted.

 

“Do you know my last name?” Sooyoung asked.

 

“Park Sooyoung,” Seulgi replied. “Huh, one of my best friend's last name is Park.”

 

“Oh really?” Sooyoung asked. “What's her name?”

 

“Park Jihyo,” Seulgi replied.

 

“You're friends with a JYP trainee?” Seungwan replied. “And... you're in SM?”

 

“Jihyo's more than just a JYP trainee,” Juhyun said. “To be quite honest, I would have liked to compete against talent like her in the music leaderboards.”

 

“She didn't get to debut, though,” Seungwan stated.

 

“I am well aware of that fact,” Juhyun replied. “If only she did get to debut...”

 

Seulgi was going to bring up Jihyo's debut, but she decided to not tell complete strangers something personal to Jihyo. After all, her loyalties are to her best friends.

 

“Well.. it was nice meeting you four, really, but I got some business to attend to,” Seulgi said, slowly making her way to the exit.

 

“Leaving so soon?” Juhyun asked.

 

“Hey, now that we've met, I'm sure we could meet again,” Seulgi replied. “Just.. ah.. don't forget me?”

 

Juhyun approached Seulgi and took her hand. Juhyun put her phone on Seulgi's hand, with the notepad app open, numbers written down.

 

“That's my phone number,” Juhyun said. “Remember it.”

 

“Ahh... thanks,” Seulgi replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

12:19 PM.

 

“Seulgi-unnie, you got to meet Red Velvet!” Mina stated.

 

Seulgi had gone over to Mina's house, bringing the Japanese girl boxes of brownies. The two girls sat on the couch and talked about Seulgi's recent meeting with the Red Velvet.

 

“Irene gave me her number.” Seulgi replied.

 

“S-She did..?” Mina said. “S-She must have thought that you... were... c-cute..”

 

Seulgi looked at the Japanese girl and saw she was blushing.

 

“Do you think I'm cute, Mina?” Seulgi asked.

 

“Y-You're cute..” Mina replied.

 

“Awww! Thank you! You're cute too, Minari!” Seulgi pulled Mina into a hug.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Wonpil: can we all hang out**

 

**Jeongyeon: dont u still got the comeback or some shit**

 

**Wonpil: Sungjin is letting me go for the day**

 

**Jihyo: And JYP?**

 

**Wonpil: yes talked to them too**

 

**Jihyo: so you're 100% free to go?**

 

**Wonpil: yes**

 

**Mina: WONPIL**

 

**Mina: I MISSED YOU**

 

**Mina: PLEASE COME TO MY HOME**

 

**Wonpil: was already on my way there :)**

 

**Mina: YAY**

 

**Nayeon: you're available for only today?**

 

**Wonpil: MV recording tomorrow.**

 

**Wonpil: let's make the best of today**

 

**Jihyo: ok so how about**

 

**Jihyo: um**

 

**Mina: karaoke place again?**

 

**Jihyo: ok that works fine**

 

**Nayeon: again?**

 

**Mina: do you not like karaoke?**

 

**Mina: i'm sorry**

 

**Nayeon: omg no**

 

**Nayeon: mina baby I'm so sorry**

 

**Nayeon: I liked it, it's just last time we went was such a mess to organize it**

 

**Dahyun: tbf there was a lot of stuff going on back then**

 

**Seulgi: aka the will they or won't they series of DaHyo**

 

**Dahyun: what**

 

**Seulgi: like, I read the room**

 

**Seulgi: u and jihyo had a weird amount of tension back then**

 

**Seulgi: probs bc u had feelings for each other but didn't tell them yet**

 

**Dahyun: yeah that's right**

 

**Wonpil: what time?**

 

**Mina: I liked it at night**

 

**Mina: 8:20 PM?**

 

**Wonpil: sure why not**

 

**Tzuyu: I just gotta wake up super early, but we can do it**

 

**Mina: yay!**

 

\------------------------------

 

12:32 PM.

 

Jihyo and Dahyun were out at the grocery store, getting some other stuff.

 

“I can't believe we ran out of milk so fast,” Jihyo said all of a sudden.

 

“You were quiet for a long time,” Dahyun replied. “And that's all you had to say?”

 

“Yeah, I was just thinking about what we should get.” The older girl replied, getting some milk. The blonde took Jihyo's hand, planting a kiss on her cheek. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Dubu.”

 

Suddenly... Dahyun felt something. A presence... The blonde let go of her girlfriend's hand.

 

“Dahyun?” Jihyo asked.

 

“...HEY! YOU OVER THERE!” Dahyun pointed into one of the aisles. In the far distance, was a man wearing a hat, he had a camera, and was taking pictures of the two.

 

“W-What the heck?” Jihyo said.

 

The man took off running, and Dahyun just stood there.

 

“No way am I chasing him.” The blonde replied. “Ugh!”

 

“Was it one of my fansites?” The older girl pondered. “N-No, they're not that creepy... who was that guy?”

 

“Ugghhh... he totally caught me kissing your cheek!” The younger girl said. “He... caught me kissing your... cheek...”

 

Then, it clicked. The cogs started to turn in Dahyun's head. Jihyo's debut is soon, she's still a pretty big name.. this man just took a picture of a blonde girl being intimate with Park Jihyo. 

 

“Oh no,” Dahyun said. “Oh no!”

 

Suddenly, Dahyun took off running.

 

“D-Dahyun!” Jihyo said, taking the cart with her.

 

After a couple of seconds, Dahyun realized that she had totally lost the man.

 

“Dammit.” Dahyun groaned.

 

“Dubu, you should warn me next time before you run off like that!” Jihyo replied.

 

“Jihyo, he took a picture of me kissing you!” The blonde said. “You're still pretty famous! And your debut is in a month!”

 

“Oh... oh no,” Jihyo replied. “A-A scandal?”

 

Dahyun sighed. “M-Maybe he's just some weirdo who wanted to take pictures of you for himself, t-that's better because then he wouldn't... share those pictures.”

 

Jihyo scratched her cheek with her index finger. “L-Let's not worry about it...”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:19 PM.

 

The two girls had finally arrived back at Jihyo's home and set up all the groceries they got.

 

“I-I think he was just a weirdo..” Jihyo replied.

 

As if the world was so cruelly against her, Jihyo's phone buzzed. It was a text message from the one number she didn't want to see.

 

“ **Park Jihyo, come to my office. Bring the girl, too** .” The text from JYP's business number read.

 

“Oh my god.” The older girl breathlessly said. “W-We're done for.”

 

“What is it?” The blonde asked.

 

“H-He knows... he knows... t-that was a... oh god..”

 

\------------------------------

 

1:42 PM.

 

The two girls had arrived at JYP's office. With shaky hands, Jihyo opened the front door and saw that JYP already in his boss chair, but it was turned facing away from the two girls.

 

“Take a seat,” JYP said. The two girls obeyed and sat next to each other on the two seats in front of the desk. Then, the man turned his chair to face them, in an almost dramatic fashion.

 

“Care to explain?” The man said menacingly, showing the two girls the picture of Dahyun kissing Jihyo.

 

“I-It's.. just a-”

 

“W-We're in.. um.. l-”

 

“I'm just messing with you,” JYP remarked. “You should have told me you were in a relationship, Jihyo! I could have taken you two out for dinner!”

 

The two girls just looked at him in shook.

 

“What?” Dahyun just blurted out.

 

“Look, I know you're probably scared about homophobia coming from me because I'm old, but look, times have changed, so I've changed with them,” JYP replied. “We're not in the '70s, everybody is okay with homosexuality now in the 2010s, you girls are fine.”

 

“I-It was a kiss on the cheek..” Dahyun replied. “T-That shouldn't mean a relationship..?”

 

“Your faces when you got here gave it all away,” JYP replied. “One problem though... normally I would give out a dating ban.”

 

“Aaahhhh!” Jihyo whined. 

 

“But.. this is a unique circumstance.” The man said. “You two were already in a relationship before Jihyo had debuted, so... I guess I'll let this slide. Just this once.”

 

“T-Thank you!” The older girl bowed. “Thank you so much!”

 

“What about the picture, though?” The blonde asked. “What if that weirdo posts it online?”

 

“I was the first one he came to with this,” JYP replied. “I've... negotiated a deal with him, so... you two are still in secret, and still safe.”

 

The two girls sighed in relief once more.

 

“Although, I don't appreciate a scare like this.” Jihyo pouted. “I'm only two days away from practice, you know? I legit thought you were going to terminate me!”

 

“As I've said, I'm fine with homosexuality.” The man said. “And... thirteen years. I didn't forget that, Jihyo.”

 

Jihyo sighed.

 

“Now, as I mentioned before, I would take you two out to dinner... but the days are busy, so we must save that for a later time,” JYP replied. “Perhaps some point later this month?”

 

“S-Sure!” The older girl said. “Looking forward to it!”

 

“You are dismissed.” The man said. “And, say hi to Wonpil for me.”

 

“W-We will!” Jihyo said.

 

The two girls exited the office.

 

“I have no idea what just happened right now,” Dahyun remarked.

 

“Me too, Dubu, me too.” 

 

\------------------------------

 

2:11 PM.

 

At Sana's house, the girl just sat there on her dining table, resting her head on said table. She... didn't feel like doing anything. 

 

She thought she could accept not finding her father at first, but as time went by... she slowly felt more and more worse about the whole thing. So many days spent in Japan, and it was all for nothing. She spent so many nights there filled with hope for the next day, just to be met with nothing.

 

Her phone rang, but the girl didn't care. Even if the number was that of Momo's, she didn't care enough to answer. Her father is completely gone... what's the point?

 

Sure, Momo made her happy... but as of the moment, she couldn't even face the girl, and Seulgi too. She wasted their time. She didn't deserve to talk to them. Not only that but just seeing them would remind her of how much of a failure her trip was. 

 

Everything sucks.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:23

 

Momo knocked on Sana's front door. She got worried once Sana didn't pick up her call, so she immediately went over to the girl's house.

 

“Sana?” Momo said. “It's me, Momo!”

 

She knocked once more.

 

“Sana!” The dance teacher called out once more. She then rung the doorbell. “Saaaannnaaa!”

 

Nothing.

 

“S-Sanata, what's wrong?” The girl called out. “Are... you sad? Is it because of your father? We can talk about it, please let me in.”

 

Still no response.

 

“Please, Sanata.”

 

More time passed, and no response. Momo's heart broke.

 

“O-Okay... I-I'll... be out of your way, now.” Momo's voice broke as she slowly walked away. “B-Bye, S-Sana..”

 

She didn't even realize it as she walked away, but tears were falling from her cheeks.

 

\------------------------------

 

2:31 PM.

 

Sana lied on her bed. Then... something in her clicked. What... is she doing? Her father has been gone for years, so many years. Yes.. she wanted to find him, and yes, she's angry that he abandoned her and never showed up again... but... should she really let that get in the way between her and Momo's friendship? If she wants to be angry at her dad, then she could angry at her dad together with Momo, not by herself. 

 

She knows Momo hates the man, anyways.

 

\------------------------------

 

**CONVERSATION WITH: HIRAI MOMO**

 

**Sana: Momoring, I'm so sorry**

 

**Sana: I was just going through something**

 

**Sana: Even then, I shouldn't have turned you away like that.**

 

**Momo: sana**

 

**Momo: give me some time**

 

**Momo: maybe we can meet again at Karaoke?**

 

**Sana: okay**

 

**Momo: and it's okay**

 

**Momo: bye now**

 

\------------------------------

 

4:40 PM.

 

Cool air, beautiful sunshine. The calming noises of nature. Myoui Mina's favorite place.

 

Mina had decided to spend some time to herself in her forest. Like before, she was lying on a blanket that she had set up on the ground. 

 

She didn't really think about much, instead opting to close her eyes and enjoy the sound of the birds singing. Of course, thinking about nothing gets boring fast, so Mina started to think about her friends.

 

She thought about movie night with Dahyun and Jihyo, all those days Wonpil spent by Mina's side, Karaoke with everyone a few months ago...

 

Mina really appreciated everything they've done for her. She just wished she could pay them back.

 

Then, she remembered.

 

Mina being there with them is enough for them. They don't want anything more than that, they just want Mina to be their friend forever.

 

She smiled.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:29 PM.

 

Like before, Wonpil had already bought the room for the 11, and he was waiting there. He messed with the machine, looking at all the other song options.

“Huh, that's new,” Wonpil said, seeing they've added some DAY6 songs to the machine. “Not going to sing that..”

 

There was a knock on the door.

 

“Come in!” Wonpil said.

 

“Pili! I wasn't expecting to see you around!” A female voice called out.

 

“Ah... hello, Jimin.” The keyboardist said, turning around. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Just getting some karaoke in with Yerin! Wanna join?” Jimin asked.

 

“Ah... sorry, I'm waiting for my friends,” Wonpil replied.

 

“DAY6, or all those girls?” The girl smirked. “Ya know, you're really swimming in-”

 

“Nope.” The keyboardist bluntly stated, turning on a song. “Can't hear you, gonna sing!”

 

“Soooo it's all those girls, then!” Jimin stated. “See ya later, pili!” 

 

As the girl exited the room, two more girls entered.

 

“Oh, excusie.” The idol said, making her way past the girls.

 

The two girls made sure the other girl had departed.

 

“That was rude.” One of the girls said.

 

“Tzuyu and Nayeon, you're the first here!” Wonpil greeted.

 

“Ah, where's Minguin?” Nayeon asked. “This was her idea, after all.”

 

“Jihyo and Dahyun are bringing her.” The keyboardist replied.

 

“Hey, is that a song playing?” The tall girl asked.

 

“Oh shoot!” The bandmate gasped, turning the song off. “Dang! I hope that doesn't ruin my score!”

 

\------------------------------

 

8:51 PM.

 

It took a while, but all 11 friends were now at the karaoke place.

 

“Oh, by the way, JYP knows about Dahyun and me,” Jihyo stated, looking for a song.

 

“WHAT!?” Nayeon and Jeongyeon blurted out, while all the others, save for Dahyun, burst into panicked talking.

 

“W-What did he say-”

 

“oh my god-”

 

“oh no-”

 

“Aiiii! Don't freak out about it!” Dahyun said. “He was fine with it!”

 

“Although, it was a pretty scary hour for Dubu and me.” The soon to debut idol stated. “But, we made it!”

 

“Not to rush, but who's going to sing first?” Seulgi asked. “Because like, I just met Red Velvet, so I kinda-”

 

“YOU MET RED VELVET!?” Nayeon yelled. “SAILFISH MET RED FUCKING VELVET!?”

 

“Ah... yeah.” The SM trainee replied. “We're in the same company, it was bound to happen.”

 

“They're the biggest girl group, like, ever!” The bunny girl said.

 

“Thanks for that random info dump, that literally all of us knew,” Jeongyeon remarked. “Anyways, that's pretty cool, Seulgi.”

 

“I-It really is,” Seulgi said.

 

Mina got on the stage. “E-Excuse me, Jihyo.” 

 

Jihyo got off the stage. “Of course.”

 

The Japanese girl took the microphone out of its stand and started to speak into it. “Hey! So.. um.. I... wanted to sing a song or two, for all of you!”

 

“Ooohhhh!” Nayeon said excitedly. “Minari's gonna sing!”

 

“I'm ready to go to heaven,” Tzuyu remarked.

 

“Ahaha... you're too nice,” Mina replied. “D-Don't get your hopes up... I-I'll try my best.”

 

The Japanese girl sighed, and slowly started to browse the song selection. “Good Person is still here... okay.” 

 

Mina pressed the song. “This song... the lyrics are a bit.. um... to me, they're a bit saddening, but it's okay. I've sung along to it countless times, so I'd feel confident singing it.”

 

The Japanese girl nervously stood in front of the microphone stand, taking deep breaths. The song slowly loaded, which gave Mina enough time to figure out if she really wanted to do this. All eyes were on her, and... that... shouldn't scare her.

 

It doesn't scare her. They're her friends. People that love Mina. Wonpil has told her this many times, and Mina listens. Sometimes she forgets, but... she remembers all over again. Even if she completely butchers this song, her friends will still be her friends.

 

Then, the song started.

 

\------------------------------

 

As the song ended, Mina was met with a standing ovation. “T-Thank you so much!”

 

As the leaderboard for the song pulled up, Mina got a perfect 100% on it, granting her first place.

 

“MINARI!” Nayeon yelled. “YOU GOT FIRST! HOLY SHIT!”

 

Wonpil ran up to the stage to hug Mina. “I'm so proud of you.”

 

It wasn't about the leaderboard, they both knew that. Wonpil was proud of Mina for doing something amazing. He was proud of her for not being afraid anymore.

 

\------------------------------

 

“Agghhh! Just 90%?!” Seulgi yelled in frustration. “Fuck you too, leaderboard!”

 

Seulgi got off the stage, and Jihyo got on it.

 

“S-So sorry, Seulgi... that's very unfortunate.” Jihyo said. “A-Anyways, it's getting pretty late! It's 10 PM already!”

 

“Oh gosh,” Tzuyu said.

 

“Hey, it's been fun hanging with all of you,” Wonpil replied. “Make sure to stream Shoot Me when it comes out!”

 

“I can't believe your group is really releasing a song called “shoot me.”,” Jeongyeon said. 

 

“Trust me, I didn't like the name at first.” The keyboardist responded. “But once you hear it... you'll like it. I hope so, anyway.”

 

“Don't worry, Wonpil, the fans will love it,” Mina said. “We'll love it, too.”

 

The keyboardist nodded. “Thank you, Minari.”

 

Sana had been looking at Momo the entire time, but they hadn't been able to chat. With the Karaoke session now over, she could finally talk to the girl.

 

“Hey, is it okay if I step out?” Sana asked. “I gotta talk to Momo about something.”

 

“Oh, sure, go ahead!” Jihyo and Mina both said at the same time.

Sana approached Momo and took her hand. “Come on.”

 

The two girls exited the room, and Momo looked at Sana.

 

“I'm really sorry for ignoring you.” Sana apologized.

 

Momo just responded by pulling Sana into a hug. “You need this.”

 

Sana just hugged the girl back. “I.. I..”

 

“It's okay, say it.”

 

“I hate him... so fucking much.” The younger girl cried. “I-I feel so... stupid, Momo... so... stupid. I-I wish we didn't go... I-I-I-I-I... wish that I never... even considering finding him.”

 

“I'm sorry, Sanata.” 

 

“I-It's okay....” Sana sniffled. “I just want to forget about him, already... but he's still on my mind, Momo.”

 

“Then I'll help you forget him.”

 

“T-Thank you..”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 17th, 2018. 8:52 AM.

 

Jihyo woke a bit later than she would have liked, but she almost didn't fall asleep last night, so she'll take it. Dahyun was up already, trying to cook what Jihyo has taught her thus far. The older girl got off of the bed, got dressed, and then exited the room.

 

“G-Good morning, unnie!” The blonde said, a bit panicked.

 

Jihyo could already see that breakfast was all done and cooked, but Dahyun was just there... smiling nervously.

 

“What's wrong?” Jihyo asked.

 

“I-I think I cooked it right... but I'm just scared.” Dahyun replied, sitting down. “T-Taste it, unnie.”

 

The older girl took her seat in front of Dahyun, and got a spoonful of the stew, and put it in her mouth.

 

“I-Is it bad?” The blonde asked. “It's bad, isn't it? I messed it up?”

 

“It's good, Dubu.” Jihyo smiled. It really was good.

 

“R-Really?”

 

Jihyo got another spoonful of Dahyun's stew and put it inside the blonde's mouth. “Taste for yourself!”

 

“Mmmmmmmmm!” 

 

The blonde swallowed it. “I-It's so good! Unnie! I did it! I cooked for you!”

 

Jihyo smiled and kissed Dahyun. “You did a good job, my love.”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:35 AM.

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jihyo: ok so like**

 

**Jihyo: I spent the past two hours teaching Dahyun how to cook so many recipes**

 

**Jeongyeon: good, now Dahyun can take care of herself while you're out.**

 

**Dahyun: and I can also cook for Jihyo now!**

 

**Nayeon: relationship goals!**

 

**Tzuyu: bunny, when will you teach me to cook?**

 

**Jeongyeon: hush, you're still a child.**

 

**Nayeon: DO NOT SAY THAT**

 

**Tzuyu: JEONGYEON SERIOUSLY**

 

**Jeongyeon: oh**

 

**Jeongyeon: uM**

 

**Jeongyeon: tzuyu's a legal adult**

 

**Wonpil: who are you talking to?**

 

**Jeongyeon: idk**

 

**Nayeon: it's just gross**

 

**Nayeon: don't call tzuyu a child when she's an adult woman**

 

**Nayeon: fully developed adult woman**

 

**Nayeon: VERY developed adult woman**

 

**Tzuyu: and i'm gone**

 

**~~Chou Tzuyu is now offline~~**

 

**Nayeon: she's still in the house lol**

 

**Nayeon: oh**

 

**Nayeon: tzuyu just left**

 

**Nayeon: !!!**

 

**~~Im Nayeon is now offline~~**

 

**Chaeyoung: bunny isn't a perv, huh Tzuyu?**

 

**Dahyun: I miss the school meal club >_<**

 

**Chaeyoung: then hang out with us dubs, it ain't that hard.**

 

**Dahyun: jihyo's going to leave for practice soon**

 

**Dahyun: i'll be available then!**

 

**Wonpil: oh gosh sungjin just saw me on my phone**

 

**Wonpil: bye**

 

**~~Kim Wonpil is now offline~~**

 

**Jihyo: i'm so excited for tomorrow**

 

**Jihyo: I'm finally going to go into practice!**

 

**Jihyo: we're moving so close to my debut!**

 

**Jeongyeon: I think this calls for a reunion of...**

 

**Jeongyeon: .-.**

 

**Jeongyeon: the trendy trio**

 

**Dahyun: YES YOU SAID IT**

 

**Jihyo: omg**

 

**Dahyun: sure, let's go spend some time with Jeongyeon-unnie, for old times sake!**

 

**Jihyo: gladly.**

 

\------------------------------

 

11:00 AM.

 

The two girls had finally arrived at Jeongyeon's place. They knocked on the door, and Jeongyeon opened it. “Come in.”

 

The two girls entered the house and made themselves comfortable on one of the couches. Jeongyeon closed and locked the front door, and sat next to them.

 

“Jihyo, really, I can't stress this enough... I'm so proud of you.” Jeongyeon said. “You waited thirteen years for this, but now... you don't have to wait anymore.”

 

“I don't have to wait anymore.” Jihyo smiled. “I'm gonna be a star.”

 

“Oh god..” Jeongyeon cringed. “That song was so tragic!”

 

The other two girls laughed. “Not denying that!”

 

After sharing some laughs, the three girls fell silent.

 

“I hope your debut does well.” The older girl said. “I really want it to, you deserve it to do well.”

 

“Me too.” The soon to debut idol replied.

 

“It will do well!” The blonde stated. “Everybody loves Park Jihyo!”

 

They smiled at that.

 

_ Park Jihyo is going to do well. _


	18. At The End Of The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flies by.

June 18th, 2018. 7:45 AM.

 

Today was the day. Jihyo is officially going into practice today. It was really it.

 

“Bye, Dubu!” Jihyo said, kissing her girlfriend. “I'll see you soon!”

 

“Go get 'em, tiger!” Dahyun waved bye, and she watched as Jihyo left the house.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Dahyun: Jihyo's going into practice!**

 

**Nayeon: Slay them, queen!**

 

**Jihyo: thank you, everyone, I'll do my best!**

 

**Wonpil: MV filming today**

 

**Seulgi: pili you really did screw your band over lol**

 

**Wonpil: ik ;-;**

 

**Wonpil: but, this comeback will be successful!**

 

**Mina: that's the spirit.**

 

\------------------------------

 

8:15 AM.

 

Nayeon was already bored to death, so she once again went active on her website. Like last time, multiple requests poured in under a minute.

 

“People really like me...”

 

Nayeon proceeded to scroll through the requests.

 

“Wedding...”

 

Pass.

 

“Nu-... really Jangmi?”

 

Pass.

 

“Beautiful scenery at a garden photoshoot, by LY.” Nayeon sighed. “Lemme guess, Lee Yeojin?”

 

\------------------------------

 

8:43 AM.

 

Correct.

 

“Bunny! Thank you for accepting my request!” Yeojin said.

 

Yeojin was standing in front of an entrance to a big and beautiful garden. Nayeon had brought her camera and was dressed appropriately, ready to go.

 

“Nice to meet you, I'm Im Nayeon.” The bunny girl greeted.

 

“Ah... being professional? I'm... Lee Yeojin..?” The ex replied, confused.

 

“I'm just messing with you.”

 

“Oohhh...”

 

“Yeojin, just to make it clear: This is NOT a date.”

 

“I'm getting really sick of this shit, Nayeon.”

 

The bunny girl was taken aback. “Excuse me?”

 

“I've gotten this treatment from Tzuyu, Dahyun, you!” Yeojin sighed. “How many times do I have to say it!? I. HAVE. A. GIRLFRIEND. I've moved on, Nayeon. I'm not interested in dating you again, I just want to be friends, because.. well... you're my favorite ex.”

 

Nayeon actually started to feel really bad. She didn't know about Dahyun, but she knew that Tzuyu was a bit hostile towards Yeojin a couple of times, and she's been too. If Yeojin wants to be just friends... then, she could work with that. She should've been working with that for a long time, anyways.

 

“I-I'm...” Nayeon barely choked out her words. What? Why is she like this? “I-I-I..”

 

“Oh no.” Yeojin knew what was going on, of course, she did. “H-Hey... take a deep breath, okay?”

 

The bunny girl took a deep breath. “I'm so sorry, Y-Yeojin..”

 

“It's okay. Just.. treat me better, please?”

 

“Y-Yes... I-I will..”

 

Guess she felt more than just “bad”. The bunny girl felt really guilty. She could see Yeojin was so hurt by how everyone has been treating her, and in a way... it reminded her of her with her parents. So... that must have been what triggered her almost panic attack.

 

Yeojin wiped away a tear from Nayeon's cheek with the sleeve of her jacket. “It's okay, Nayie.”

 

Great, so she was crying too. Nayeon sighed. “Thank you.”

 

The older girl looked at the garden. “Now, let's start with our photo shoot, shall we?”

 

The bunny girl smiled as she gripped her camera. “Gladly, Miss Lee.”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:12 AM.

 

Jeongyeon lied there on her couch, scrolling through social media. Just basic boring stuff, not new or interesting.

 

“ **Hey! I just wanted to check in!** ” A text from Chaeyoung popped in at the top of the screen. Immediately, Jeongyeon sat up.

 

\------------------------------

 

**CONVERSATION WITH: SON CHAEYOUNG**

 

**Chaeyoung: Hey! I just wanted to check in!**

 

**Jeongyeon: doing fine**

 

**Chaeyoung: some stuff went down rn at class**

 

**Chaeyoung: long story short, every single person is outside the school as it burns.**

 

**Jeongyeon: WHAT?**

 

**Chaeyoung: some kid was doing stupid crap with fire**

 

**Chaeyoung: and he basically like**

 

**Chaeyoung: set the classroom on fire**

 

**Chaeyoung: it spread really quickly too**

 

**Jeongyeon: are you and Tzuyu okay?**

 

**Chaeyoung: the first person I went for was Tzuyu :P**

 

**Chaeyoung: her and I are fine, but she's a little shaken up**

 

**Chaeyoung: she called Nayeon, so they're talking rn**

 

**Chaeyoung: Kyungmin's fine too, btw.**

 

**Jeongyeon: ok good**

 

**Jeongyeon: and the kid that started the fire?**

 

**Chaeyoung: a couple of teachers already apprehended him**

 

**Chaeyoung: cops and firemen are coming**

 

**Jeongyeon: is... school canceled?**

 

**Chaeyoung: might be lol**

 

**Chaeyoung: we'll see**

 

**Jeongyeon: ok.**

 

\------------------------------

 

9:37 AM.

 

Dahyun was just lying in bed, hugging the big teddy bear. Jihyo had been cuddling with it lately, so the younger girl was holding onto it to feel Jihyo's warmth. She missed her girlfriend so much, even though she had only been gone for two hours now. How the hell was she supposed to do this for the next month!?

 

She knew it was selfish, but a part of her wished Jihyo didn't have to do all this stuff. But... it's her dream. 13 years. 13 whole years.

 

There was a knock on the door, which pulled Dahyun out of her thoughts. Who was knocking? She got up from the bed (despite not really wanting to), and exited the room. Once she was at the front door, she opened it.

 

“Oh... hi Sana.” Dahyun greeted. “I wasn't expecting to see you here.”

 

“I figured you'd be lonely,” Sana said. “Mind if I come in?”

 

Dahyun stepped out of the way. “Come in.”

 

The older girl entered the house, sitting on the chair in front of the kitchen island. “As I was driving here, I was thinking about what we could do.”

 

“Do?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Have you gotten drunk before, Dahyun?” Minatozaki asked.

 

“Can't say I have..”

 

“Then let's go out and drink!”

 

“...I don't want to.”

 

“Then let's watch a movie?”

 

“I don't want to.”

 

“...Let's play a video game?”

 

“I don't want to.”

 

Sana sighed. “You miss her real bad, don't you?”

 

“I do,” Dahyun replied. “I just want to be in her arms again.”

 

“At the end of the day, Dubu, at the end of the day,” Minatozaki said. “Keep that in mind.”

 

At the end of the day... yeah, that's good. Dahyun could use this as a reminder to keep her head up during the day, since she knows that she'll be rewarded at the end of it, with Jihyo being there once more.

 

“So, do you want to do something, Dahyun?”

 

“...let's just stay in. W-We should watch a movie.”

 

“Glad you said that.”

 

The older girl exited the house, then after a minute, came back with a bag filled with snacks.

 

“Netflix?” Sana asked. “and chill?”

 

“Do you know what that means?” Dahyun replied, her tone a bit hostile. Maybe Sana didn't understand, but if she asked that question knowing what it meant...

 

“What?”

 

“Do you not know what netflix and chill means?”

 

“We... relax and watch netflix?”

 

“...hmm.”

 

“What?”

 

“Some people use it as “watch netflix at first, but then... do the dirty after putting a movie on.” The blonde informed.

 

“W-What the heck!?” Sana replied. “Sorry! That's so gross! Let's just watch netflix, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

\------------------------------

 

10:01 AM.

 

School was canceled for the day, and probably for the next week. The fire had made a huge impact on the building, so they would need time to assess the damages and fix them. Chaeyoung's parents had already come, so did Nayeon.

 

The two girls couple already at home, but Tzuyu had been silent since Nayeon picked her up. The most the Taiwanese girl had done was allowed Nayeon to hold her in bed. The bunny girl didn't need her girlfriend to talk, so she just held her in silence.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:09 AM.

 

Chaeyoung's parents had finally arrived home.

 

“Chaeyoung-sweetie, are you really sure you're okay?” Her mom asked.

 

“Yes, yes, I'm fine, really.” Chaeyoung replied. “I'm okay.”

 

“And Kyungmin?”

 

“He's fine, too. Look, it was bad, but it didn't affect me. I'm okay.”

 

“Okay..”

 

\------------------------------

 

4:12 PM.

 

After watching a couple of movies with Dahyun, Sana had decided that it was now her time to leave.

 

“It was fun watching netflix with you, Dahyun,” Sana said. “But I have to leave now. Just remember, Jihyo will be here at the end of the day!”

 

“Yes, at the end of the day.” The blonde repeated.

 

\------------------------------

 

9:38 PM.

 

Dahyun didn't even realize she fell asleep on the couch until she woke up in Jihyo's arms. She was snuggled up against the girl comfortably, having her head resting on the older girl's shoulder.

 

“Hey there, Dubu.” Jihyo smiled.

 

The blonde immediately hugged her girlfriend. “I missed you so much.”

 

“I missed you too.”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 19th, 2018. 7:50 AM.

 

Jihyo left a bit later, but she was still gone, and Dahyun is now all alone. Once again, she went into her bedroom and snuggled with the teddy bear.

 

\------------------------------

 

8:50 PM.

 

This time, Dahyun was awake for when Jihyo arrived, so she immediately greeted her girlfriend with hugs and kisses.

 

“I love you so much,” Dahyun said.

 

“I love you too, Dahyun,” Jihyo replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 26th, 7:52 AM.

 

Days had gone by without Jihyo, and in every one of them, Dahyun missed her until she came back home. She knew she could text her, call her, but she didn't. She wouldn't want to disrupt Jihyo's preparations.

 

Today was the day of DAY6's comeback, which meant that Wonpil would be free soon. Good for Mina, but Dahyun just wanted Jihyo back.

 

\------------------------------

 

**FRIENDIES W/O DAHYO!**

 

**Nayeon: we've all been visiting Dahyun, right?**

 

**Nayeon: besides Wonpil since he can't.**

 

**Seulgi: yeah.**

 

**Nayeon: every time I visit her... she's always so sad.**

 

**Nayeon: is it the same with you all?**

 

**Chaeyoung: yes**

 

**Tzuyu: yup**

 

**Mina: yeah.**

 

**Jeongyeon: even when I bring up past memories, Dahyun would just... sit there.**

 

**Jeongyeon: this isn't good.**

 

**Nayeon: she's used to being away from Jihyo in small bursts of time, but even then, she could still contact her.**

 

**Nayeon: but with all of Jihyo's preparations and stuff... Dahyun can't just contact her whenever.**

 

**Jeongyeon: it terrifies me.**

 

**Chaeyoung: me too.**

 

**Jeongyeon: I don't want Dahyun to fall back into depression.**

 

**Jeongyeon: if she hasn't already, anyway.**

 

**Mina: oh no**

 

**Mina: could... she be depressed?**

 

**Chaeyoung: she still smiles, but rarely.**

 

**Nayeon: well, we gotta find a way to cheer her up.**

 

**Nayeon: especially with Jihyo's debut coming up, she won't be there as much as Dahyun would like.**

 

**Tzuyu: Dahyun's mentioned she missed the school meal club.**

 

**Chaeyoung: she would always be happy during those times, even without Jihyo.**

 

**Tzuyu: Chaeng, you know what this calls for?**

 

**Chaeyoung: REUNION OF THE SCHOOL MEAL CLUB!**

 

\------------------------------

 

9:09 AM.

 

School was still closed down, longer than everyone expected. Even though the students would be given daily packets that contain the lesson they would learn that day, and they would turn in every packet the very next day. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu had decided to put their packets aside for the day, in order to go to cheer up Dahyun.

 

The two girls had arrived at Jihyo's house and knocked on the door.

 

“Dahyun! It's me! Chae!” The orange-haired girl said.

 

 “And Tzuyu, too!” The Taiwanese girl added in.

 

“Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Chaeyoung giggled. “That's great!”

 

The door opened.

 

“Oh... hey..” The blonde said weakly. “what brings you two here?”

 

“We're here to cheer you up!” The orange-haired girl winked. “Come on!”

 

Chaeyoung held Dahyun's hand, slowly nudging the girl to follow her.

 

“Whe... where would we go?” Dahyun asked.

 

“Wherever you'd like!” Chaeyoung replied, then she just realized what Dahyun was going to say next.

 

“JYP.”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:27 AM.

 

The two younger girls didn't really want to agree with this, but this was Dahyun, after all. They would do anything to get her out of the mood she's been in. So, thus, the stage was set. The school meal club arrived in the lobby, and Dahyun immediately ran to the elevator.

 

“H-Hey! Dahyun, hold on!” Chaeyoung said.

 

\------------------------------

 

9:34 AM.

 

It took a while, but they eventually found where Jihyo was at. Lucky for them, Jihyo was in the break room, so Dahyun immediately ran in.

 

“D-Dubu-”

 

Dahyun hugged her girlfriend. “I missed you, unnie.”

 

“A-Ahh... I missed you too.” Jihyo said, hugging her back. “You just took me by surprise... next time tell when you're going to visit, okay?”

 

“Yes, I'm sorry.”

 

 “How are things going, by the way?” Chaeyoung asked.

 

“Ah, the title track is done,” Jihyo replied. “Two sidetracks are done too, so I just have to record three more, and then we can work on the MV.”

 

“And your photobook?”

 

“That after the MV.”

 

“Ok, good.”

 

Eventually, Dahyun pulled away from the hug. “Okay... I'll see you later tonight, love?”

 

“Yes, see you then, Dahyun,” Jihyo replied, kissing the girl's cheek.

 

\------------------------------

  
  


10:11 AM.

 

Sana was at Seulgi's front door, as she needed to talk to the Korean girl. She rang the doorbell, and almost immediately, Seulgi opened it.

 

“Ah, Sana, I wasn't expecting to see you here,” Seulgi replied. “Um... I actually have a guest over.”

 

“Oh, who?”

 

“Minari.” 

 

“Ah...”

 

“You should have brought Momo over and we could have had the whole J-line here!”

 

“J-line?” Sana questioned.

 

“The Japanese girls in this group.” Seulgi elaborated. “Anyways, come in!”

 

Sana entered the house and saw Mina just sitting there on the couch, tightly hugging Young.

 

“Ah, you brought that penguin plushie, Mina?” Sana questioned.

 

“Y-Yes,” Mina replied, a bit startled. “You scared me, Sana.”

 

“Sorry..”

 

Seulgi locked the door and came back to the two girls. “Mina and I were just talking about DAY6's comeback.”

 

“Oh, right. I'm so excited for it!” Minatozaki said. “Is Mina excited?”

 

“I still don't really like the name of the title track..” Mina replied. “T-The other songs sound good, though..”

 

“It's DAY6, of course, it's going to be good,” Seulgi stated. “DAY6 never releases a bad song.”

 

Mina looked at Seulgi, then hugged Young tightly.

 

 “How is Mina doing?” Sana asked.

 

“She's right here, ya know.” The Korean girl replied. “Don't act like she ain't.”

 

“Ah, sorry..”

 

Sana looked at Mina.

 

“How are you feeling lately, Mina?” Sana asked.

 

“I'm okay..” Mina replied.

 

“That's good. Um... I-I feel bad since I've had so much time to talk to you about this, but... better late than never, right?”

 

“Sana?”

 

“At the mall.. that one day... Seulgi told me.”

 

“oh..”

 

“S-Should I have not? S-Sorry, Mina.” Seulgi apologized.

 

“No, it's okay. Sana and Momo are my friends too.” The younger Japanese girl replied. “W-What is about that day, Sana?”

 

“I... I'm sorry we weren't there for you that day.” Minatozaki said.

 

“Oh... that's okay.”

 

“Are you sure you're okay?”

 

“Yes, Jihyo helped me through it. Y-You know this, though..”

 

“Sorry, I... I just wanted to let you know that I care, okay?”

 

“I-I know you do..”

 

Mina just hugged Young tighter. “S-Sana..”

 

“Oh... am I pushing too much?” Sana asked. “Sorry.”

 

Mina just closed her eyes. “It's okay..”

 

“Um, so what were you and Mina doing?” Minatozaki looked at Seulgi.

 

“Just chatting. But we were going to watch a movie just before you came.”

 

“What movie?”

 

“Just some romantic movie.”

 

“Korean?” Sana asked.

 

“Obviously,” Seulgi remarked.

 

“Okay, well... can I watch it with you two?” Minatozaki asked.

 

“Sure.” The SM trainee said. “Mina?”

 

“S-Sure, Sana..” Mina replied.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:24 AM.

 

The school meal club had eventually decided to visit Jeongyeon at “work”.

 

“Oh, I was definitely not expecting to see you three,” Jeongyeon said, pulling Dahyun into a hug. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

 

“I'm okay,” Dahyun replied. “I got to see Jihyo today.”

 

“That's good!” The older girl smiled. “Glad to see you're doing well.”

 

Jeongyeon was glad. Dahyun would usually answer the question with “fine” or just “okay”, but she would never say anything more than that.

 

“Oh, how are you doing, Chaeyoung?” Jeongyeon asked. “And Tzuyu.”

 

“We're doing fine,” Tzuyu replied.

 

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung responded.

 

Dahyun pulled away. “How about you, Jeongyeon-unnie? How's your day been going?”

 

“Boring.” The older girl replied.

 

“That's what I expected, hah..”

 

“I mean, it can be entertaining now that you're here.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yes! I've got a lot to talk about!”

 

\------------------------------

 

9:23 PM.

 

After a fun day with her friends, Dahyun had finally arrived home. She was greeted with the smell of cooking.

 

“Oh hey, Dubu,” Jihyo said.

 

“You're cooking?” Dahyun asked. “Y-You should have waited for me... you had a hard day.”

 

“So did you.” The older girl smiled sadly. “Many hard days.”

 

“Jihyo...”

 

“I know you miss me a lot. I miss you a lot, too. But please, stay strong for me, okay? Because... I'll be back. At the end of the day.”

 

“At the end of the day..”

 

\------------------------------

 

11:14 PM.

 

Back at Seulgi's house, Sana got up.

 

“I'm really tired.” Sana yawned. “I'm going to go home.”

 

Mina handed Young over to Sana. “Can you hold her for me?”

 

“Sure..” Minatozaki replied...

 

The younger Japanese girl hugged Seulgi. “Thank you so much.”

 

“Hey.. you know I'll always be here for you, Mina.” Seulgi smiled. 

 

Mina pulled away. “I think it's about time I go home, too.”

 

“I'll drive you home.” The SM trainee offered.

 

“Okay, thank you.” The younger girl smiled.

 

Minatozaki just yawned once more. “I'm going to go now, bye girls.” 

 

She left the house, and Mina and Seulgi walked outside too. The older Japanese girl was already in her car, ready to leave. The Korean girl walked over to her car.

 

“Drive safely, Sana,” Seulgi said.

 

“I definitely will,” Sana replied. “See you tomorrow.”

 

Sana drove away. The SM trainee already saw Mina waiting by the passenger's side.

 

“Oh, right.” Seulgi unlocked the car.

 

“Thank you. For tonight, really.”

 

“Anything for you.”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 17th, 10:13 AM.

 

**CONVERSATION WITH: MYOUI MINA**

 

**Seulgi: how's it been going, minguin?**

 

**Mina: not good**

 

**Mina: can you help me?**

 

**Seulgi: what happened?**

 

**Mina: I thought I brought Young home, but I can't find her anywhere**

 

**Mina: do you have her?**

 

**Seulgi: uh, idk. I'll check and get back to you**

 

**Mina: please do.**

 

\------------------------------

 

10:15 AM.

Seulgi turned her phone off, got off her bed, and left her bedroom. She just sighed as she closed her door, and walked over to the living room.

 

“You better be here, you little bugger,” Seulgi said. “You don't want Mina to be sad, right?”

 

Seulgi just sighed.

 

“I'm really talking to myself, huh.”

 

She just searched around her couch. Her heart dropped. She couldn't find it. Maybe it's somewhere else?

 

No, it can't be. Mina stayed on the couch the entire time.

 

With a heavy sigh, Seulgi called Mina.

 

“ **Did you find her?** ” Mina asked.

 

“N-No... I don't see her anywhere on my couch.” Seulgi replied. “M-Minari, did you take her anywhere else?”

 

“ **I-I went into the restroom, but I left Young on the couch..** ”

 

“And you're sure you took Young when you left?”

 

“ **Y-Yes! I was sure she was next to me when you drove me back home! I wouldn't let her go.** ”

 

Then... Seulgi remembered.

 

_Sana._

 

“Didn't... you give her to Sana for a bit?”

 

“ **I... did. B-But she gave her back to me**!”

 

“Are... you sure?”

 

“ **I-I... think so**.”

 

No way, Minatozaki. Seulgi thought. This was completely childish. There's no way Sana took the damn penguin, right?

 

\------------------------------

 

10:22 AM.

 

Sana was at her house. She set Young on her couch. She just sighed to herself. The doorbell rang, so the girl went over to open it. Behind the door was Momo.

 

“Sanata!- is that Mina's penguin?” Momo said. “Why do you have Mina's penguin?”

 

“I-I don't know,” Sana replied. “I didn't even realize it, but when I left, I had the penguin with me!”

 

“Why didn't you return it?” 

 

“It was late at night when I noticed I had the penguin! It's just been in my car all night long!” 

 

“Well, go return it. You know how Mina is. She definitely misses it.”

 

“Yes, yes... I'm so stupid.” Minatozaki sighed.

 

“You were just tired.” The dance teacher replied.

 

Sana called Mina, and the girl answered.

 

“ **Sana? w-what's going on?** ” Mina asked.

 

“I don't know how to say this... so I'll just give it to you straight. I have Young.” Sana informed.

 

“ **You... took her?** ” Mina's voice started to break. “ **W-Why? D-Did I not deserve her?** ”

 

“Y-You do deserve her! I was so tired, I didn't even realize I had her until it was too late! I'm so sorry!”

 

She could just hear crying on the other end. 

 

“Mina...”

 

“ **P-Please... return her..** ” Mina said.

 

\------------------------------

 

10:41 AM.

 

Sana was waiting at Mina's front door, after having knocked. Finally, Mina opened it. Immediately, Sana handed Young to Mina.

 

“Young!” Mina said, tightly hugging the penguin. “I missed you so much!”

 

Sana could see the dried-up tears on Mina's face. “I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to take her..”

 

“It's.. okay. I should have checked if I had her for sure.” Mina replied, then she pulled Sana into a hug.

 

\------------------------------

 

12:11 PM.

 

**FRIENDIES!**

 

**Jeongyeon: I can't believe the first time there's drama with Mina, and it's because Sana took her penguin.**

 

**Sana: it wasn't intentional!**

 

**Mina: and it wasn't drama.**

 

**Jeongyeon: It could have ended dramatically.**

 

**Chaeyoung: lol if this was one of those mainstream shows, there would have been about a whole 3-episode arc focused on the fallout of Sana taking the penguin.**

 

**Jeongyeon: and a whole season-long story arc of Mina slowly forgiving her.**

 

**Nayeon: I hate shows**

 

**Tzuyu: yet you watch that stupid kdrama every week**

 

**Nayeon: it's not stupid, tzuyu**

 

**Nayeon: it's art**

 

**Tzuyu: ._.**

 

**Jeongyeon: now that's a mood**

 

**Nayeon: Tzuyu's just jealous that every Sunday I spend my nights watching that kdrama.**

 

**Tzuyu: it's the last day of the weekend, bunny**

 

**Tzuyu: nobody should fault me for wanting to spend time with the love of my life before a week of hard work.**

 

**Nayeon: my heart hurts now**

 

**Jeongyeon: that was too sweet holy shit**

 

**Nayeon: tzuyu you should've told me you felt like this before.**

 

**Nayeon: i'm so sorry, sweetie.**

 

**Tzuyu: it's okay**

 

**Tzuyu: at least you know now.**

 

**Chaeyoung: anyone heard feeling good?**

 

**Chaeyoung: that song is too good**

 

**Chaeyoung: @KimWonpil**

 

**~~Kim Wonpil is now online~~**

 

**Wonpil: oh yes**

 

**Wonpil: my fav is somehow tho**

 

**Tzuyu: YES WONPIL KINGIE LOVES SOMEHOW**

 

**Nayeon: don't sleep on talking to.**

 

**Mina: not part of the recent album, but my favorite DAY6 song is Better Better.**

 

**Jeongyeon: omg I love that so much**

 

**Tzuyu: literally the greatest song of DAY6**

 

**Mina: I love the lyrics**

 

**Nayeon: YES THE LYRICS**

 

\------------------------------

 

12:19 PM.

 

Dahyun just lied there on the bed, staring idly as the group chat continued. She wasn't bothered enough to read it. Then... her phone rang. It was Jihyo.

 

“Jihyo?” Dahyun answered the call.

 

“ **Oh, thank goodness you answered!** ” Jihyo said. “ **D-Dahyun, can you tell me everything will be fine?** ”

 

“Everything will be fine, Jihyo. You'll get your debut, and everyone will love it. Don't worry or stress. You'll do well.” Dahyun assured.

 

“ **Thank you, Dahyun,** ” Jihyo replied. “ **I love you.** ”

 

“I love you too.” Dahyun smiled.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 28th, 2018. 8:52 PM.

 

Jihyo returned home to the smell of food. Dahyun had finished cooking for her.

 

“I hope today was better than yesterday.” The blonde said, setting the food on the table.

 

“It was, Dubu.” The older girl smiled, sitting down.

 

“I'm glad.”

 

\------------------------------

 

June 29th, 2018. 9:01 PM.

 

Jihyo arrived a little late, and she was a bit disappointed to not be meet with Dahyun in the kitchen, but that was okay. She sat down on the couch.

 

“Where is Dahyun?” Jihyo asked herself, sighing.

 

After a couple of minutes, the girl went into the bedroom and saw her girlfriend already fast asleep.

 

“Today must have been hard for you, huh,” Jihyo said, comfortably lying next to Dahyun, cuddling with the girl.

 

\------------------------------

 

June 30th, 9:11 PM.

 

Jihyo arrived home and saw Dahyun sitting on the couch, Sana next to her.

 

“Oh, hey there,” Sana said. Dahyun immediately got up and ran over to her girlfriend, greeting her with hugs and kisses.

 

“H-Hey there, Dahyun.” The soon to debut idol smiled, hugging the girl back.

 

“I love you so much,” Dahyun said.

 

“I love you too,” Jihyo replied.

 

“Guess it's my cue to leave,” Sana remarked. “Hey, it was fun watching movies with you again, Dahyun. We'll do this some other time again?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” The blonde replied.

 

The Japanese girl left the house, leaving the two girls by themselves.

 

“24 more days,” Dahyun informed.

 

“24 more days,” Jihyo repeated. “You know what the means? 23 more times where I'll be back-”

 

“At the end of the day.” The blonde replied.

 

Jihyo smiled as she caressed her girlfriend's cheek.

 

“At the end of the day”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahaha so AO3 glitched and duplicated this chapter... how fun to fix that.


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